15 October Coalition
15 October Coalition Koalicja 15 października | |
|---|---|
The Coalition's party leaders. From left to right: Szymon Hołownia (Poland 2050), Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz (PSL), Donald Tusk (KO), Włodzimierz Czarzasty and Robert Biedroń (New Left) | |
| Founded | 10 November 2023 |
| Ideology | Rainbow coalition[1] Liberal conservatism[2] Factions: Progressivism[3] Conservatism[3] Neoliberalism[1] |
| Members | |
| Sejm | 241 / 460
|
| Senate(Senate Pact 2023) | 63 / 100
|
| European Parliament | 27 / 53
|
| Regional assemblies | 298 / 552
|
| Voivodes | 16 / 16
|
| Voivodeship marshals | 12 / 16
|
The 15 October Coalition (Polish: Koalicja 15 października) has been the ruling government of Poland since 13 December 2023.[4][5] It is a big tent coalition that includes various political parties. The coalition was formed after the parliamentary election held on 15 October.
The prime minister–designate Donald Tusk coined the term in his speech to the Sejm, announcing the new government's plans after a vote of no confidence for Mateusz Morawiecki.[6][7]
Prior to assuming power, the parties opposing the ruling Law and Justice-led United Right (with the exception of the far-right Confederation) were referred to as the Democratic Opposition (Polish: Demokratyczna opozycja) in the lead up to the 2023 elections.
The firmly left wing Left Together party originally planned to enter the coalition, together with the New Left party as part of The Left coalition. However, due to a number of key issues being left out of the coalition agreement, the party has opted to stay out of government but has also voted to support Tusk's government in votes of confidence.[8] Razem would later leave The Left and move into the opposition.
Law and Justice politicians and some right-wing media referred to the coalition as the 13 December Coalition. The name referred to the date of the establishment of the government by President Andrzej Duda on 13 December 2023 and was an allusion to the 42nd anniversary of the introduction of martial law in Poland on 13 December 1981 by General Wojciech Jaruzelski.[9]
Ideology
The coalition has been described as liberal-conservative.[2] Political scientists Krzysztof Jasiewicz and Agnieszka Jasiewicz-Betkiewicz described the coalition as "a truly rainbow coalition, ranging in cultural matters from radical left to moderate conservatives and in socio-economic policies from welfarestate socialists to pro-market neo-liberals".[1] The main parts of the coalition - Civic Coalition, Third Way (former alliance of Poland 2050 and Polish Coalition), and The Left are considered liberal, conservative, and progressive, respectively.[3] Writing on the coalition's ideological focus, Verfassungsblog wrote:
The so-called “15 October Coalition” – an alliance of the liberal Civic Platform (PO), the Left, and the conservative Third Way – came to power in late 2023 in the atmosphere of democratic awakening and civic mobilization. Yet, despite its progressive commitments, the government soon shifted to the right. Key demands from its electoral base – including abortion reform and legal recognition of civil partnerships – were quietly sidelined. More tellingly, the coalition maintained several PiS-era policies, particularly its hardline stance on migration at the Belarusian border, effectively mirroring the very approach it had vocally condemned.[10]
Member parties
References
- ^ a b c Jasiewicz, Krzysztof; Jasiewicz-Betkiewicz, Agnieszka (2024). "Poland: Political Developments and Data in 2023. Liberal Democracy Returns?". European Journal of Political Research Political Data Yearbook. 63 (1). European Consortium for Political Research: 392. doi:10.1111/2047-8852.12441.
This is a truly rainbow coalition, ranging in cultural matters from radical left to moderate conservatives and in socio-economic policies from welfarestate socialists to pro-market neo-liberals. What holds them together, at least so far, is their commitment to liberal democracy and the rule of law.
- ^ a b
- Heil, Philipp; Potrafke, Niklas; Tähtinen, Tuuli; Wochner, Timo (2024). Niklas Potrafke (ed.). Economic Experts Survey: Evaluating Global Economic Policy Worldwide (PDF) (Report). Munich: ifo Institute, Center for Public Finance and Political Economy. p. 15.
This coincides with the electoral turnover of the incumbent PiS government, resulting in a new liberal-conservative government under Donald Tusk
- Sieradzka, Monika; von Richthofen, Luisa (26 January 2025). "How does Poland deal with Holocaust remembrance today?". Deutsche Welle. Szumowo.
Grabowski accuses the liberal-conservative government of Donald Tusk of a passive stance on the issue.
- "Donald Tusk gewinnt Vertrauensvotum". Deutschlandfunk (in German). 11 June 2025.
Der Wahlausgang setzte Polens liberal-konservative Regierung unter Ministerpräsident Donald Tusk unter Druck, dessen pro-europäischer Kurs in Frage gestellt wurde.
[The election result put pressure on Poland's liberal-conservative government under Prime Minister Donald Tusk, whose pro-European course was called into question.] - von Marschall, Christoph (7 August 2025). "Polen schafft Deutschland-Beauftragten ab: „Das sind schlechte Nachrichten"". Tagesspiegel (in German).
Polens liberal-konservative Regierung hat die Stelle des Deutschland-Beauftragten gestrichen.
[Poland's liberal-conservative government has abolished the position of Germany representative.] - Monfort, Isabelle (28 October 2025). "Petit tour d'Europe". Isabelle Monfort (in French).
Les Polonais, par une courte victoire, ont choisi un président d'extrême-droite, en cohabitation avec le gouvernement libéral-conservateur et pro-Europe de Donald Tusk.
[The Poles have narrowly elected a far-right president, who will govern alongside Donald Tusk's liberal-conservative, pro-European government.] - Steger, Natalie (18 November 2025). "Wie Polens Vertrauen in Deutschland schwindet". ZDF (in German). Warsaw.
Welchen Einfluss hat auf polnischer Seite die liberalkonservative Regierung Tusk?
[What influence does the liberal-conservative government of Tusk have on the Polish side?] - "Polish parliament expresses confidence in Tusk's government". Radar Armenia. 12 June 2025.
Tusk requested the vote of confidence after the conservative Karol Nawrotsky's victory in the country's presidential election, which was a serious blow to Tusk's liberal-conservative government.
- Heil, Philipp; Potrafke, Niklas; Tähtinen, Tuuli; Wochner, Timo (2024). Niklas Potrafke (ed.). Economic Experts Survey: Evaluating Global Economic Policy Worldwide (PDF) (Report). Munich: ifo Institute, Center for Public Finance and Political Economy. p. 15.
- ^ a b c Bukowski, Pawel; Paczos, Wojtek (20 March 2024). "What next for Poland's economy?". Economics Observatory.
The new coalition government – known as the '15 October coalition' – marks a sharp departure from the past. It is prioritising competence, the rule of law and investment in the skills and education of the Polish people (their human capital). Comprising the liberal Civic Platform, the conservative Third Way and the progressive New Left, the coalition reflects a spectrum of values and ideologies.
- ^ "Donald Tusk: będziemy się nazywać Koalicją 15 października". onet.pl. Onet Wiadomości. 12 December 2023.
- ^ "Tusk calls government October 15 Coalition". www.pap.pl. Retrieved 2023-12-13.
- ^ "Trzy konkrety Tuska dla przedsiębiorców. "Będą natychmiast"". 12 December 2023.
- ^ "Premier Tusk do posłów, którzy zadali mu pytania: otrzymacie odpowiedź na pytania na piśmie". Polska Agencja Prasowa (in Polish). 2023-12-12.
- ^ "Dlaczego partia Razem nie wejdzie do rządu Tuska? Adrian Zandberg tłumaczy". Rzeczpospolita (in Polish). Retrieved 2023-12-13.
- ^ "Andrzej Duda i totalna kohabitacja. Czy Donald Tusk zostanie premierem 13 grudnia?". Rzeczpospolita (in Polish). Retrieved 2023-12-16.
- ^ Zomerski, Wojciech (11 June 2025). "Anatomy of a Liberal Fall: Poland's 2025 Presidential Election". Verfassungsblog. doi:10.59704/ee63bc06c3062698.