Poland in the EU

If Jerzy Buzek is not elected to head the European Parliament, he can always console himself by being president of... Poland. So suggests a presidential poll done by my paper.

Looking at the subject of my recent posts, you might think I am falling victim to a bit of Buzek-mania. OK, I admit it.

But I cannot help but bring you this next interesting piece of news about him. My paper "Gazeta Wyborcza" has done a malicious opinion poll, giving poeple a choice of two figures from each party for next year's presidential elections. In the governing Civic Platform prime minister Donal Tusk won, with 37 % of the votes, but Buzek is not that far behind him with 28 %. Certainly too close for Tusk's comfort. 

This is yet another reason for Tusk to do everything in his powers to get Buzek elected in the EP. He certainly couldn't and wouldn't leave the post after less than a year to run for president.

By the way, Tusk has proved once again in the EP election that he is a very cunning political player. He recruited Danuta Hubner, which not only brought some votes, but more importantly prevented the left from uniting and getting a bigger chunk of (the Civic Platform's) pie. On the other extreme he recruited Marian Krzaklewski, once a key figure because he united of the political right and center right. This took some votes from PiS, although Krzaklewski finally didn't manage to get elected.

Going back to the poll: in Law and Justice (PiS) president Kaczyński was sorely beaten by Zbigniew Ziobro, the former justice minister (19 to 39 %). This, believe it or not, would be a change for the worse. But it won't happen. Although internal battle has started in PiS this is still the Kaczyńskis' party and I doubt anybody would be capable of kidnapping it.

On the left former prime minister Włodzimierz Cimoszewicz, who has not been active in politics since he quit mid-campaign in the previous presidential election is still by far the favourite with 50 % of the vote.

But the above two don't matter: if you haven't noticed in the EP election the Civic Platform was the biggest winner among all parties in government in the EU.