Poland’s ruling party seeks to cling on to power with smaller party's support

By Jo Harper

WARSAW (AA) – Poland’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has offered to step aside in favor of Polish People’s Party (PSL) leader Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz to take over his position, provided that the party supports continuation of the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party in government.

After elections on Oct. 15, PiS failed to win enough seats in parliament to govern without a smaller coalition partner. The main opposition party, Civic Platform (PO), led by Donald Tusk, is cobbling together a coalition with the Left and the Third Way, which also include PSL, ahead of a meeting with President Andrzej Duda, on Nov. 13.

“I want to appeal to those MPs from Third Way, [far-right] Confederation and other clubs who care about the social and sovereignty program and the issue of fighting illegal migration,” Morawiecki said in an interview with the Interia news website.

"The pre-election emotions that pushed the PSL into the arms of PO are one thing, but the question they should ask themselves is, ‘Do we really want to become PO's sidekick’?” he said.

"Independence in a loose coalition with our camp would be much greater, believe me," Morawiecki said.

PSL has so far refuted any advances from PiS.

Morawiecki also appeared to roll back his opposition to a blanket ban on abortion. “I was a supporter of the abortion compromise from 30 years ago,” he said, referring to a period when abortion was less restricted than it is today.

The Left and PSL differ over abortion rights in Poland, which has one of the most restrictive laws in Europe after eight years of PiS rule.