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Deal in Poland’s ruling coalition by end of the week: source

25.09.2020 01:00
A deal between three conservative groupings that together form Poland’s government will be signed by the end of the week, a politician from the senior party in the ruling coalition has said, following talks to end a crisis in the alliance.
PiS leader Jarosław Kaczyński.
PiS leader Jarosław Kaczyński. Photo: PAP/Tomasz Gzell

"The signing of a coalition agreement will take place by the end of the week,” state news agency PAP cited an official from the Law and Justice (PiS) party as saying on Thursday evening.

A rift between the three ruling parties at one point threatened to break up their coalition and triggered warnings that Poland faced the prospect of a minority government or early elections.

The United Right coalition is headed by Law and Justice. It also comprises the strongly conservative Solidarna Polska party and the Porozumienie (Agreement) grouping.

The coalition has ruled the country since 2015. It secured a second term in power in a parliamentary ballot last October.

Earlier on Thursday, a senior official said Jarosław Kaczyński, the head of Law and Justice, was likely to become a member of the government, overseeing the key justice, defence and interior ministries.

Kaczyński, who is not prime minister despite leading the biggest party in government, is poised to take on a new role as the head of a security committee, Ryszard Terlecki, a senior lawmaker with Law and Justice, told reporters.

Tensions between the three ruling parties spilled over after the junior partners in the coalition last week refused to support an animal rights bill strongly backed by Kaczyński.

Terlecki on Friday warned that a minority government or early elections in Poland could not be ruled out.

He said at the time: "At the moment the situation is such that the coalition is practically non-existent.”

Without lawmakers from its two junior coalition partners, Law and Justice would not have a majority in Poland’s lower house.

(pk)

Source: PAP