Tusk and the Democratic victory
Democrats won control of both houses of Congress on Tuesday, defeating President Donald Trump’s Republicans in the US midterm elections. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called the outcome a victory for democracy during a Wednesday afternoon press conference with Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis. "Today, democracy won in America," Tusk said, adding, "I love democracy; it is a beautiful thing." He urged the US president to seek compromises instead of relying on vetoes as a primary way of governing. Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who heads a broad coalition ranging from the left to the centre right, spoke at a press conference on Wednesday alongside Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis to address the American election results. He expressed support for the Democrats, noting that he agreed with Trump’s own comment that the Democrats did a good job. Tusk added that he hopes the result will stabilize the situation in the region.
Zbigniew Konwinski, the head of the parliamentary caucus for the centrist Civic Coalition, told Polsat News he felt happy with the Democratic victory. He noted that Donald Trump remains volatile in his political declarations. Konwinski argued that Trump’s behavior can sometimes put Ukraine in a more difficult position than Russia. He stated that the more Democrats there are, the better the situation becomes for Poland. He told the broadcaster that he would rather look for the positives in these results. The Tusk administration, a broad coalition, has had uneasy relations with the Trump administration, specifically regarding his conciliatory approach towards Russia and his stance on Ukraine.
Parliamentary critiques and Nawrocki
Wlodzimierz Czarzasty, the speaker of the Polish parliament and leader of the junior coalition partner The Left, criticized the election outcome by sharing a social media post from Trump. The post showed an image of the US president’s red cap with the word "VETO" on it. Czarzasty has clashed with the US ambassador to Poland twice this year over his criticism of Trump. He linked this to President Karol Nawrocki, who has vetoed a record number of bills passed by the Polish parliament where Tusk’s coalition has a majority. Czarzasty described both Trump and Nawrocki as having "arrogance," a "lack of respect for women," a "suspicious past," and "admiration for politicians with fascist tendencies." He also mentioned their "transactional exploitation of their position" and "instrumental treating of journalists."
President Nawrocki has maintained a close relationship with Trump, which included a private meeting at the White House during the last Polish presidential election campaign. At that time, former US homeland security secretary Kristi Noem visited Poland to endorse Nawrocki. While Nawrocki has not commented on the midterm results, Marcin Przydacz, head of the president’s International Policy Bureau, addressed the change. Przydacz noted that voters decided on change in the US midterms. He stated that Poland will continue its cooperation with the US because it is an ally. He also said the results are a reminder for Tusk that "no government lasts forever" and that voters in Poland might decide on change "quite soon" during next year’s Polish parliamentary elections.
Diplomatic friction and Musk
Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski used the election results to revive a dispute with Elon Musk. Musk donated significant funds to support the Republicans before the midterm elections. Last year, Musk and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio criticized Sikorski after he suggested Musk had threatened Ukraine. Musk told Sikorski to "be quiet, small man" on the social media platform X in response to those suggestions. On Wednesday, Tusk shared a screenshot of a previous tweet from Sikorski which said, "See, big man, politics is harder than you thought."
The Tusk administration, a pro-EU coalition, has previously criticized Trump’s conciliatory approach towards Russia and his stance on Ukraine. The government also questioned Trump’s pursuit of US control over Greenland. Previously, the Republican party held control of the US Congress, but the Democrats have now taken over both houses. The Tusk government’s relations with the US have been uneasy at times due to Trump’s policy decisions. In the past, Tusk’s administration expressed concern over the Trump administration’s approach to security and regional stability. This government, which includes the centrist Civic Coalition and the junior partner The Left, maintains a focus on European interests.
