Polish government after changes - November 2013

Polish government

Summary of

changes

MSLGROUP Poland, 20th of November 2013

2 Government changes in Poland - summary

● PM Donald Tusk (Civic Platform) announced long-awaited changes in his government, effective next week.

● Ruling Civic Platform (PO), after 6 years in power, loses in polls with its main competitor, Law and Justice (PiS) led by Jarosław Kaczyński, twin brother of president Lech Kaczynski (died in 2010)

● Recently there were some scandals around the PO party – internal conflict of two groups in the party, buying votes during local party leaders’ elections, corruption scandals related to IT systems of public administration

● Additionally, the government decided to dismantle the major part of social security system, planning to cancel state bonds owned by the private social security companies. The reform was led by the unpopular minister of finances, Jacek Rostowski.

● Current polls are: PiS (right-wing opposition) – 31%, PO (ruling party) – 22%, SLD (post-communists) – 12%, TR – 5%, PSL (peasant’s party, in coalition) – 5%, SP - 3%, PJN - 2%, NP – 2%.

Government changes in Poland – November 20th, 2013

3 Minister of Finances

Mateusz Szczurek, 38 yr

• Chief economist of ING Group for CEE, active

in EMEA region

• PhD in economy, Sussex

• Econometrics studies in International Centre

for Money and Banking Studies in Genève and

London.

• Academic in Warsaw School of Economics,

University of Sussex and Goethe Business

School

• Previously not involved in politics, some

economists say that he may be selected to

carry out vision of Jan Krzysztof Bielecki,

chief advisor to PM Donald Tusk

• Replaced Jan Vincent Rostowski


4 Minister of infrastructure and development

Elżbieta Bieńkowska, 49 yr

• Appointed as deputy PM

• Minister of regional development since 2007

• Senator since 2011

• Spent most of her carreer as a specialist for

EU (and previously PHARE) funds

• Took active part in negotiations regarding EU

cohesion policy fund for 2014-2020

• Recognized as an expert in her field and one

of best ministers in Donald Tusk’s government

• Government change extended her duties to

supervision of infrastructure development

• Her ministry joined with Sławomir Nowak’s.


5 Minister of Envirionment

Maciej H. Grabowski, 54 yr

• Deputy minister of Finances since 2008

• Former deputy head of Gdansk Instytute for

Market Economics (IBnGR), influential

economic think-tank

• In MF was responsible among others for the

VAT legislation and shale gas taxation

• His main goals are increasing of use of

„natural resources in Poland”, especially

through finalizing works on the shale gas

legislation

• Replaced Marcin Korolec


6 Minister of Administration and Digitization

Rafał Trzaskowski, 41 yr

• EPP MEP since 2009, previously adviser to the

group

• Phd in Warsaw University, specialized in

institutional changes in EU

• In European Parliament focused recently on

issues related to Digital Agenda, privacy

legislation and re-use of public data

• Member of EP constitutional commitee and

IMCO

• Not involved in daily „party life” in Poland,

recognized as expert in his field

• Replaced Michał Boni


7 Minister of Sport

Andrzej Biernat, 54 yr

• Member of Parliament since 2005

• During parliamentary works focused on sport

issues

• Informal leader of one Civic Platform’s

fractions

• Will be responsible among others for the

Polish candidacy to Winter Olimpics, wants to

strengthen cooperation with sport associations

• Replaced Joanna Mucha


8 Minister of Science and Higher Education

Lena Kolarska-Bobińska, 66 yr

• EPP MP since 2009

• Nominee to the MEP Award MEPs in the Energy

category

• Member of ITRE and Petition committees

• Professor of sociology, thanks to the Ford

grant studied in Stanford University and

Business School of Carnegie-Mellon University

• Head of the Institute for Public Studies think

tank. Advised to Lech Wałęsa and Aleksander

Kwaśniewski (former presidents of Poland)

• Wants to „well spend” EU money for R&D

• Replaced Barbara Kudrycka


9 Minister of Education

Joanna Kluzik-Rostkowska, 50 yr

• Former deputy minister of work and social

policy, and of regional development (in Law

and Justice’s governments), former head of

election campaign of Jarosław Kaczyński (PiS)

• MP since 2007, in Civic Platform since 2011

• Will finish primary schools reform and new

educational programmes

• The new government is her „big comeback” to

the politics

• Replaced Krystyna Szumilas


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Polish government after changes - November 2013