Paweł Supernak/PAP

Mateusz Morawiecki, the acting Polish prime minister, has said that if he fails to form Poland’s next government he will head a special body that will oversee a government created by the current opposition.

Following October’s general election, President Andrzej Duda on November 13, accepted the resignation of Morawiecki’s government, although it will continue to perform its duties until a new government is appointed. 

On the same day, in accordance with previous declarations, Duda designated Morawiecki, from the outgoing ruling party Law and Justice (PiS) as prime minister, and tasked him with creating a new government. 

But as all the other parties have ruled out their support for him, Morawiecki’s chances of forming a new government and then securing a vote of confidence in parliament are close to zero. 

On Monday, Morawiecki told a press conference that if it was not possible to form a government, he would like to head a new body, dubbed the State Work Team (ZPP), which would “be breathing down the neck of our political opponents… all those who will form the government.”

“On the other hand, it (the ZPP – PAP) will develop the vision we are showing now and will focus on the future so that Poland catches up with the standard of living of the West as quickly as possible, but does not make the mistakes the West is making,” he added.

Part of the work of the ZPP team will be “to show Poles the dangers of the current reform in the European Union,” Morawiecki continued.

He said that if the changes the EU is planning were implemented “the Polish government… would have nothing to say on the key topics we are talking about today… such as social policy, tax policy, security and internal affairs.”