The parliament gave a vote of assurance to the Donald Tusk government – 243 votes “in favour”, 210 “against”, no 1 abstained. Although formally a clear majority, in practice the vote was a political reset – more a message than a real breakthrough.
The Prime Minister decided to take this step to cut off speculation about tensions in the coalition, but besides to gain breath before the announced reconstruction of the government. During the exposé, he announced the appointment of a government press spokesperson inactive in June and crucial changes in cabinet composition as early as July. “New faces”, “change of structure” are phrases that are expected to sound fresh, but to many sound familiar. due to the fact that almost identical promises were made in December, after the first vote of confidence. The effect?
Instead of specifics, the Prime Minister focused on general directions: security, migration, reconstruction of public media, social affairs, settlement of erstwhile authorities. Right, but no details, no schedules, no hard data. Meanwhile, frustration is increasing – both on the opposition side and voters awaiting reforms. This is confirmed by the evidence number of requests for questions – 267 Members. It's a signal that politicians – besides from the coalition – wanted more than just to talk with PR ambitions. The Prime Minister asked for half an hr to prepare an answer, which only showed that not everything was planned.
The opposition, of course, powerfully criticized Tusk's speech. The representatives of the Law and the Confederacy accused him of being ineffective, avoiding answers and resigning from the social programme. But the opposition itself did not show full mobilisation – 7 PiS MPs, including Jarosław Kaczyński, broke out of the vote. Their absence was eloquent, but it was hard to consider as a motion of political importance – alternatively evidence of further dispersal and chaos on the opposition side.
For the Tusk government, this vote of assurance was needed to regain the initiative, but the vote itself does not solve the problem. The Prime Minister obtained the majority, but did not convince the infidels. His government does not fall, but it does not accelerate. The key will be July – if the reconstruction is cosmetic and the announced changes do not decision away, the government can enter the drift phase. Trust has been expressed, but now Tusk must yet start paying it back.
