The Conservative politician Andrzej Duda has been sworn in as Poland’s new president, immediately calling for a stronger North Atlantic Treaty Organisation presence in his country to counter the perceived military threat from Russian Federation.
Advertisement
At home Duda pledged to introduce the social benefits he promised in fiery campaign speeches, including new tax exemptions and a lower retirement age, which the PO government had gradually pushed back to 67 years.
Duda, 43, promises to pay attention to the needs of the underprivileged.
At the start of his time as prime minister, from 2007, Tusk had tense relations with then-President Lech Kaczynski, who co-founded Duda’s opposition Law and Justice party.
Although initial polls suggested Komorowski’s victory, voter disappointment with scandals surrounding his center-right Civic Platform party led to Duda’s victory.
Poland’s incoming President looks set to confirm a split at the top of the country if his swearing-in speech is an indicator.
Duda was sworn in before the National Assembly of lawmakers and senators at the Parliament building, in the presence of the government, his predecessor, Bronislaw Komorowski, and other former presidents, including Lech Walesa. Duda’s wife, Agata, was by his side. He will also be able to initiate his own bills.
Along the way, Duda is stretching Poland’s tradition of the apolitical presidency by aligning closely with Law & Justice.
Poland’s foreign policy “should not go through revolution but needs to be corrected”, Duda said, underlining this correction should be Poland’s increased activity in building European unity.
He vowed to press for more North Atlantic Treaty Organisation security guarantees at next year’s North Atlantic Treaty Organisation summit in Warsaw.
But he was not well-known before Jaroslaw Kaczynski anointed him as presidential candidate.
Advertisement
“That means to present our point of view by communicating it to our partners on the global stage in a quiet yet decisive way”, he said. As a result the Germans extended their influence in Poland in an imposing way.
