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Polish PM says ruling coalition unity confirmed after opposition fails to oust two ministers

30.04.2026 19:30
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Thursday that parliamentary votes rejecting no-confidence motions against two government ministers had confirmed the unity of his centrist ruling coalition.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk attends a parliamentary session in Warsaw on Thursday, April 30, 2026.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk attends a parliamentary session in Warsaw on Thursday, April 30, 2026.Photo: PAP/Albert Zawada

Lawmakers in the lower house of parliament voted earlier in the day to reject motions filed by the right-wing opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party and the far-right Confederation grouping seeking to dismiss Climate and Environment Minister Paulina Hennig-Kloska and Health Minister Jolanta Sobierańska-Grenda.

"The full unity of the coalition has been confirmed," Tusk told reporters after the votes.

"This solidarity has strengthened us today," he said.

He added that the outcome showed the coalition would be able to withstand further political challenges from the opposition.

The votes had been seen as a test of coalition cohesion, particularly after some lawmakers from the Poland 2050 grouping, a junior government partner, signalled in recent weeks that they might support the motion against Hennig-Kloska, who left the party months ago to form a separate parliamentary group.

Earlier on Thursday, Poland 2050 leader and Funds and Regional Policy Minister Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz said her party would give both ministers a "cautious vote of confidence" and oppose the bids to oust them.

In the end, one Poland 2050 lawmaker broke ranks and supported the motion against Hennig-Kloska, while the majority of the coalition voted it down, state news agency PAP reported.

Opposition lawmakers had accused Hennig-Kloska of incompetence and mismanaging climate policy, including what they described as chaotic decision-making and insufficient analysis of the social and economic impact of her ministry's actions.

(gs)

Source: IAR, PAP