The so-called „step two” is looming. The opposition is eagerly waiting for the parliamentary majority to finally nominate its candidate for prime minister. According to the findings of the Civic Coalition, PSL, Poland 2050 and the Left, this is to be Donald Tusk.

However, the data we certainly have indicates that this candidate will not relieve us of our daily worries, and this is the type of ambition that a prime minister should pursue. In the current difficult times, there are FIVE AREAS in which Tusk ought to perform brilliantly. However, his history in the head of government’s chair shows that this has never been and still is not the case. In fact, there is no reason for us to believe that he has changed. When we see the fog that his coalition partners are creating around him, how quickly they are retreating from their campaign promises and how they are trying to redirect emotions to the United Right’s billing - we must explicitly conclude: Donald Tusk is not going to be a good prime minister for Poland and the Poles.

Firstly

Tusk does not like the economy, he is even disgusted by it, and this may be more than a mistake these days.

The parliamentary majority that is now going into power and the KO chairman himself have largely sipped the cream of the crisis that had fallen on the United Right government. They took great PR advantage of a situation that affected all of us. This is very unfair, because there is no negligence or mismanagement of Mateusz Morawiecki’s cabinet, instead there are objective difficulties caused first by the COVID-19 pandemic and then by the war in Ukraine brought on by the Russian onslaught.

The election campaign insistently promoted the slogan „Law and Justice = dearness.” It was untrue, but catchy and made it possible in a memically simple way to blame a political opponent for one’s misery. Will Donald Tusk, in the long run, know how to deal with the despicable mood of Poles forced by inflation to draw more and more money from their wallets to make daily groceries? It is highly doubtful. This is why, instead of costly campaign promises thrown to the nation in a rather reckless manner, the time of investigative commissions has begun.

As leader of the opposition, Donald Tusk felt free to point out his opponent’s mistakes without any risk; as prime minister, he must realize that the problems of the Poles will become his. Who will he then push the responsibility onto?

Donald Tusk has always had „people” whom he delegated to difficult issues. He fails to understand the economy and is pushing it as far away from him as possible. During the PO-PSL coalition, he handed over these ministries to the People’s Party with no regrets. He even entrusted a matter as crucial as the new gas contract with the Russians to Waldemar Pawlak for implementation, although (despite his denials) he kept himself informed about it. Tusk only intervened personally when the matter was already truly over the edge, and Pawlak intended to make us dependent on Moscow for decades, not only for gas, but also for the energy being built in the Königsberg region. In all probability, it can be said that Prime Minister Tusk would not have intervened if it had not been for the alarming voices coming from the office of President Lech Kaczynski and the opposition of the European Commission, which simply could not agree to make us dependent on Russian raw materials for so long. Someone who is so little interested in the economy cannot possibly make a good prime minister. Such a person might perhaps serve as an acceptable option for „better times,” for now certainly not.

Secondly

Lack of geopolitical imagination and stepping into dependence on foreign powers disqualifies both Donald Tusk and his closest circle.

It is clear today why such a clamour was raised when the previous parliament formed a commission to investigate Russian influence, and why the current Parliament, instead of dealing with pressing economic issues, decided to start by squashing this body. Before the commission’s members were dismissed, it had managed to publish a rudimentary report, which mentions, among other things, that Polish intelligence contacts with Russian intelligence took place in the absence of proper supervision. Frequently, its nature extended beyond official relations, which leads one to believe that the Russians were treated in Poland as allies, if not friends.

At the time, Donald Tusk was prime minister, Bogdan Klich and Tomasz Siemoniak were defense ministers, Jacek Cichocki and Bartłomiej Sienkiewicz were secret service coordinators. Exactly the same team today is getting ready to seize power in Poland. As Prof. Andrzej Zybertowicz said, „the committee recommends not entrusting them with tasks, positions and public functions related to responsibility for state security.”

One who is guided more by his own ambitions than by state interests in foreign and security policy cannot possibly make a good prime minister. Someone who, in spite of the Kremlin’s expansive, imperialist policies, sought a political alignment between Poland and Russia. And, even worse, pushed for the alliance even after the invasion of Georgia, the annexation of Crimea and the Smolensk catastrophe.

Thirdly

The head of government should be a hard-working man, and Tusk is certainly not noted for that.

It is no secret that between 2008 and 2014, Donald Tusk would begin his duties at the Cabinet on Mondays, when he flew in from Sopot, and would end on Thursdays. And during the week he devoted a lot of time to non-professional activities. His „kickoff” has become legendary - playing soccer with his colleagues.

Did Poles realize exactly how hard the head of government was working? In 2011, Newsweek published the results of a CBOS survey entitled: „Portrait of Donald Tusk after three years in office.” From the article: ” Nice, pretty, lazy,” we learn that what Poles appreciated most about the head of the Platform were his external qualities and manner: „intelligent,” „handsome” and „energetic and dynamic.”

Matters proved worse when the pollsters asked about the specifics of his work: „he speaks vaguely and avoids details,” „the words of the head of the government cannot be relied on, because he says a lot and does very little (only 17 percent were of the opinion that if Tusk promises something, he will pursue it),” and finally, „the prime minister cares more about his own image and political career than the welfare of the country (as much as 52 percent of respondents!).” and „the head of government does not care about the fate of ordinary people.”

Just to remind you, this survey was conducted after three years in power. Even then, Poles had a feeling that there was something wrong with this government. Later on, it was all confirmed.

Someone for whom Poles have so little trust, who doesn’t even offer the impression that he cares about improving our lives, rather than just taking revenge on PiS, cannot possibly make a good prime minister.

Number four

Donald Tusk relies heavily on the media to protect him, which is why he is so determined to destroy Polish Television.

As early as 2011, political scientist Prof. Rafał Chwedoruk asked whether it was possible for a „facade democracy” to be installed in Poland.

It must be admitted that the Tusk cabinet’s rule fulfilled this definition in 100 percent. It was more important how the media would show things than how things really were. There was one condition, everyone must necessarily work towards one goal. And so it was at the time.

In 2013, the specialized portal press.pl (which can hardly be considered favourable to PiS) wrote: „The less support Civic Platform has in the polls, the more active Prime Minister Donald Tusk is in the media. (…) Two weeks ago, he gave an extensive interview to >>Politika<<, in which he said he would not give up Poland without a fight. Later he was a guest on the >>Signals of the Day<< program on Radio One. A week ago he appeared on the >>Tomasz Lis na żywo<< program, and yesterday he spoke about pro-family policies on >>Good Morning TVN<<.”

The head of the Platform did not need to bother with the right-wing media, which asked him uncomfortable questions.

Given the strength of the front that backed him, there was no reason for him to do so.

Someone who values packaging so much yet disregards content cannot possibly make a good prime minister. Donald Tusk may not yet realize what awaits him, because the media market has changed a lot since 2014, when he left Poland. Even if he succeeds in taking over the public media, the information system is no longer as tight as it was then.

Number five

There is every indication that Donald Tusk does not link his future to Poland. Again, he is dreaming of playing in a „higher league.”

Backroom gossip has it that Donald Tusk has already announced to his closest associates that he will be leaving Poland again in some time. The post of head of the European Commission is to await him. Only please do not say that the person himself denies this, because in 2014 he also denied it. Heavily irritated by questions from journalists, he said that he was not moving to Brussels, that the role of head of the Polish government was much more exciting for him.

Last summer, when he was just getting ready to take Poland back from the hands of Jaroslaw Kaczynski, he gave an interview to TVN24. Well, but by coincidence, what he said to the journalist a little earlier was also recorded:

„I am demotivated by the idea that I will have to run for office. (…) It’s such a ghastly thought that I’m going to sit back there… in that Wiejska Street.”

Thus, Operation „Prime Minister Donald Tusk 2.0” appears to be a calculated game aimed at his own comfortable seat somewhere away from Warsaw. A man who does not have Poland in his very heart cannot possibly make a good prime minister.

Marcin Wikło

Tłum. K.J.