Five gentlemen in suits signed a coalition deal on Friday. Spoiler: No, there's no evidence that An abortion by week 12 will be legal.
Representatives of the 7 parties declared in the agreement "the creation of a coalition for building a permanent parliamentary majority, a common government and the repair of the Republic".
Donald Tusk represented PO, Modern, Polish and Green Initiative, Szymon Holownia Poland 2050, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz PSL, and Robert Biedron and Włodzimierz Czarzasty Nowa Lewica. It is simply a pity that there is no organization together in this group, and not only due to the fact that it would be useful for a female in this group – and Together has a co-chairman, Magda Biejat – but due to the fact that Together it would bring this coalition towards more social. But we have the coalition we have.
So what's in the signed deal? The fresh coalition commits "to work together to improve the standard of surviving and the safety of citizens and citizens of our country as a modern nation in the heart of Europe, friendly to neighbours who share our values, respecting the traditions and values of our culture and history."
The agreement includes a number of programming issues, the announcement of the settlement of the erstwhile government and the rules of operation of the fresh coalition.
The agreement confirms that the candidate of the coalition for Prime Minister is Tusk, Deputy Prime Minister Kosiniak-Kamysz and Krzysztof Gawkowski. Candidates for rotational Speakers of the Sejm are Szymon Hołownia and Włodzimierz Czarzasta, who will replace him after 2 years, and for the legislature Marshals Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska – for starters, but it is not yet known who will replace her.
The programme issues identified in the agreement are security, legal order, education, health, climate, taxes, culture, media, entrepreneurs, women's rights, agriculture and the Church. The agreement in many places rather mostly describes the programming priorities of the fresh coalition – which is rather understandable, due to the fact that it will be created by various parties.
However, there are any specifics in it. And a fewer are gone.
There is no mention of the right to abortion already mentioned at the beginning, but there is the phrase "Women have the right to decide about themselves". Point 6 of the agreement starts with the assurance: “We will strengthen the rights of women, which will be the key area of the Coalition’s activities. We will cancel the 2020 Constitutional Court judgment." That's it. All in all, it is good that the gentlemen did not include in the agreement that the "compromise" would return.
What another specifics? Strengthening Poland's position on the global arena, ensuring that the courts will be free from political pressures, and an independent and apolitical prosecutor's office, as will the KRS and the ultimate Court. The coalition besides wants to depoliticize the companies of the state's treasury, the uniform services and mostly concentrate on depoliticization, though possibly understood as resisting, due to the fact that that's all political, all reader of Political Critics knows.
More interesting details recorded in the contract are, among others, confirmation that increases for teachers are urgent, and the government besides wants to slim down the programme basis. At the same time, "the Coalition Parties agree to reduce the taxation burden on workers".
Important provisions are to guarantee that the fight against speech and hatred actions will be a precedence for the coalition and to announce the amendment of the penal code so that hatred speech on grounds of sexual orientation and sex is pursued on its own. It is besides crucial to declare that the State Labour Inspectorate should "preserve" workers' rights effectively.
The full point of the agreement was devoted to housing. We read that “the sides of the coalition will make the conditions for a crucial acceleration of the rate of giving up fresh housing: property, besides available for rent by local governments and social and municipal housing. The State will besides support local governments in the renovation of vacant housing.”
Among the provisions on public transport, it is worth seeing the announcement of an integrated strategy allowing to buy a ticket for a journey utilizing any means of collective transport. 1 place to buy a ticket! If there's 1 more place with all the timetables, it's a transport revolution. I compose without irony.
The coalition agreement besides includes the announcement of the settlement of the governments of the United Right. "We will bring to constitutional work those liable for attempting to change the state's system, for violating the Constitution and laws and for violating the regulation of law, for stubborn public institutions, for misappropriation of public funds and for their unlawful, non-target and unprofitable spending; in areas requiring detailed and transparent examination we will set up appropriate parliamentary committees of inquiry," we read.
Left Together decided not to enter the government and stated in the justification that the crucial matters for them were missing in the agreement. Magda Biejat explains that in the fresh coalition, “there was no agreement on a compromise lifesaving bill depenating abortion, on 8% of GDP for wellness protection, on 3% of GDP for science, or on 1% of GDP for the public housing programme. There was besides no political acceptance for the introduction of full-paid sickness, strengthening trade unions and extending the right to strike, gradually shortening working time, or for an effective fight against junk contracts."
It is very well that we know the content of the coalition agreement. It is very good that the agreement thanked “all voters who, on October 15, 2023, had become at the urns in an unprecedented number”. And it is large that it was further added that "it would not have been possible if it were not for the large activity of civilian society in fresh years, which the sides of the Coalition consider a large commitment".
Now we will be able to account for the future government from the promises made in the agreement, but we will besides push for making and implementing a number of promises that are not included in the agreement. The right to abortion by week 12 will be 1 of them.
