• Latest
  • Trending
EU’s Tusk Plans Polish Comeback for 2019 Ballot, Paper Says

EU’s Tusk Plans Polish Comeback for 2019 Ballot, Paper Says

February 10, 2019
Brexit Update: Hard Risks, Soft Landing (Still)

Brexit Update: Hard Risks, Soft Landing (Still)

February 20, 2019
Investment paused and cancelled by Brexit, says Skates

Investment paused and cancelled by Brexit, says Skates

February 20, 2019
Why we should stop worrying and learn to love Brexit

Why we should stop worrying and learn to love Brexit

February 20, 2019
Brexit news: What impact has Brexit had on the pound?

Brexit news: What impact has Brexit had on the pound?

February 20, 2019
Brexit backstop: Theresa May to put new proposals to EU

Brexit backstop: Theresa May to put new proposals to EU

February 20, 2019
Brexit’s Irish border problem, explained

Brexit’s Irish border problem, explained

February 19, 2019
Brexit Claims Its First Airline As Uncertainty Continues

Brexit Claims Its First Airline As Uncertainty Continues

February 19, 2019
Labour breakaway’s Brexit impact

Labour breakaway’s Brexit impact

February 19, 2019
Brexit: Food prices to rise up to 20% after leaving EU

Brexit: Food prices to rise up to 20% after leaving EU

February 19, 2019
May Seeks EU Help on Brexit as Ministers Revolt Over No-Deal

May Seeks EU Help on Brexit as Ministers Revolt Over No-Deal

February 19, 2019
EU flag sales come down in Brexit Britain

EU flag sales come down in Brexit Britain

February 18, 2019
Minister plans to vote against government to stop no-deal Brexit

Minister plans to vote against government to stop no-deal Brexit

February 18, 2019
Brussels Observer
No Result
View All Result
  • BeNeLux
    • Belgium
      • Brussels
    • Luxembourg
    • Netherlands
  • World
    • Africa
    • Asia
      • China
      • North Korea
    • Canada
    • Europe
    • Latin America
    • Middle East
    • Russia
    • United Kingdom
    • United States
  • National Security
    • Cyber Security
    • Immigration
    • Politics
      • Democracy
      • Free Speech
    • Terrorism
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Free Market
  • Science
    • Technology
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Books & Literature
    • Food & Drink
    • Health & Fitness
    • History
    • Movies & TV
    • Music
    • Privacy
    • Religion
    • Travel
    • Women & Children
  • Environment
    • Climate Change
    • Endangered Species
    • Forests
    • Oceans & Water
    • Wildlife
  • Sports
    • Auto Racing
    • Cycling
    • Football
    • Golf
    • Mountain Sports
    • Olympics
    • Tennis
    • Water Sports
-18 °c
Friday, February 22, 2019
  • BeNeLux
    • Belgium
      • Brussels
    • Luxembourg
    • Netherlands
  • World
    • Africa
    • Asia
      • China
      • North Korea
    • Canada
    • Europe
    • Latin America
    • Middle East
    • Russia
    • United Kingdom
    • United States
  • National Security
    • Cyber Security
    • Immigration
    • Politics
      • Democracy
      • Free Speech
    • Terrorism
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Free Market
  • Science
    • Technology
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Books & Literature
    • Food & Drink
    • Health & Fitness
    • History
    • Movies & TV
    • Music
    • Privacy
    • Religion
    • Travel
    • Women & Children
  • Environment
    • Climate Change
    • Endangered Species
    • Forests
    • Oceans & Water
    • Wildlife
  • Sports
    • Auto Racing
    • Cycling
    • Football
    • Golf
    • Mountain Sports
    • Olympics
    • Tennis
    • Water Sports
No Result
View All Result
Brussels Observer
No Result
View All Result

EU’s Tusk Plans Polish Comeback for 2019 Ballot, Paper Says

February 10, 2019
in Brexit, Democracy, Featured, News, Politics, United Kingdom
0
Home World United Kingdom Brexit
Post Views: 3

European Council President Donald Tusk is planning to return home to Poland to galvanize the opposition in this year’s general election to challenge a nationalist ruling party that’s clashed with Brussels over democratic standards, newspaper Rzeczpospolita reported.

Tusk, who sets the agenda for European Union summits and has played a key role in Brexit negotiations, hasn’t said whether he plans to return to front-line domestic politics after his term in Brussels ends in December. His spokesman said the report was “false.” Rzeczpospolita said Friday that Tusk would “directly engage” in a new political project to consolidate groups against the Law & Justice government, but it didn’t specify a role.

Formerly Poland’s longest-serving prime minister and leader of the opposition Civic Platform party, Tusk, 61, is widely considered the strongest opponent to Law & Justice party’s re-election drive after repeatedly besting it in elections since 2007. Nevertheless, his potential return to combative domestic politics is fraught with risks, according to Jacek Sokolowski, a political scientist at Jagiellonian University in Krakow.

“It’s not clear if there’s anyone better than Tusk to consolidate the opposition, but it’s also far from clear if he’ll be able to pull this off,” Sokolowski said by phone. “This new initiative, if confirmed, could give him a trampoline to enter local politics, but he’d have to be all-in to have a chance. There’s no going back to any plush job in Brussels if he loses.”

After a volatile four years battling EU allies amid accusations it’s dismantling Poland’s democratic order, Law & Justice is starting to see its support ebb. But it remains more popular than the biggest united group of opposition parties which, led by Civic Platform, hasn’t created a viable message for voters beyond kicking out the ruling party.

Tusk’s colleagues are increasingly concerned about the inability of the Civic Platform to successfully team up with other groups in the EU’s largest ex-communist member, according to Rzeczpospolita, whose report cited people close to Tusk. The party is now run by Grzegorz Schetyna, a former Tusk rival who’s angling to become premier.

The new movement, which is to include local administration officials and groups currently not in parliament, is set to start June 4 — the 30th anniversary of the first partly-free elections behind the Iron Curtain that helped Poland break free from totalitarian rule, Rzeczpospolita said.

Law & Justice has for years criticized Tusk, saying his failure to grant more concessions to the U.K. was directly responsible for Brexit. Tusk has also repeatedly testified to Polish prosecutors in a case regarding a 2010 plane crash in Russia, which killed then President Lech Kaczynski and other dignitaries while he was prime minister.

Nationalist Risk

No charges have been levied, but ruling party politicians have publicly said that Kaczynski, whose twin brother Jaroslaw is the leader of Law & Justice, was “murdered” by unknown Polish and Russian groups. Crash-scene investigators, as well as Tusk, have blamed the tragedy on pilot error.

In November, Tusk warned in a speech that rising nationalist sentiment across the bloc posed a serious risk to the EU, especially as European Parliament elections approach in May.

“Those who are cheering on nationalism in Europe, those who are betting on disintegration and conflict, will inevitably lead to an absolutely fundamental threat,” Tusk said in the Polish city of Poznan. “I am talking here about the rise of nationalism and anti-European, not only rhetoric, but also anti-European emotion, in many European capitals.”

Source :

Bloomberg

Tags: Donald TuskElectionEUEuropean UnionPolitics
Share1Tweet1Share
Next Post
From divorce to Blackface: A short history of US political taboos

From divorce to Blackface: A short history of US political taboos

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

17 − five =

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Translate

Popular Post

Brexit Update: Hard Risks, Soft Landing (Still)
Brexit

Brexit Update: Hard Risks, Soft Landing (Still)

February 20, 2019
0

Former British PM Winston Churchill famously said “democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have...

Read more
German businesses face rising threat of industrial espionage

German businesses face rising threat of industrial espionage

September 11, 2017
Top palm oil producer sues green group over deforestation allegations

Top palm oil producer sues green group over deforestation allegations

September 11, 2017
Malaysian palm oil price extends losses, tracks weak overseas soy markets

Malaysian palm oil price extends losses, tracks weak overseas soy markets

September 11, 2017
Indonesia’s bitter mining endgame

Indonesia’s bitter mining endgame

September 11, 2017
  • About Us
  • Creative Commons
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Contact Us

Topics

Follow Us

About Us

Brussels Observer is part of Brussels Observer Media Group LLC, which delivers daily news around the globe.

© 2011 Brussels Observer

No Result
View All Result
  • BeNeLux
    • Belgium
      • Brussels
    • Luxembourg
    • Netherlands
  • World
    • Africa
    • Asia
      • China
      • North Korea
    • Canada
    • Europe
    • Latin America
    • Middle East
    • Russia
    • United Kingdom
    • United States
  • National Security
    • Cyber Security
    • Immigration
    • Politics
      • Democracy
      • Free Speech
    • Terrorism
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Free Market
  • Science
    • Technology
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Books & Literature
    • Food & Drink
    • Health & Fitness
    • History
    • Movies & TV
    • Music
    • Privacy
    • Religion
    • Travel
    • Women & Children
  • Environment
    • Climate Change
    • Endangered Species
    • Forests
    • Oceans & Water
    • Wildlife
  • Sports
    • Auto Racing
    • Cycling
    • Football
    • Golf
    • Mountain Sports
    • Olympics
    • Tennis
    • Water Sports

© 2011 Brussels Observer