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Sikorski elected as parliament speaker

PR dla Zagranicy
Peter Gentle 24.09.2014 16:15
Former foreign minister Radoslaw Sikorski has been elected speaker of Poland's lower house of parliament, following widespread changes in government since Ewa Kopacz became PM.

Radoslaw
Radoslaw Sikorski promises to work for MPs trust, Wednesday: photo - PAP/Radek Pietruszka

“I will gain your trust through work, not speeches,” Sikorski told MPs after 233 from the ruling Civic Platform/PSL coalition voted for his appointment, with 143 voting against and 62 abstaining.

The position of speaker of parliament (Sejm) became vacant after Ewa Kopacz resigned to become prime minister following Donald Tusk's election as president of the EU's European Council.

Sikorski
Sikorski with former house speaker, now prime minister, Ewa Kopacz: photo - Radek Pietruszka

Radoslaw Sikorski was foreign minister for seven years, before being moved to the role of speaker of parliament, which, though not a cabinet position, is the second highest ranked behind the President, under Poland's constitution.

The 51 year-old, married to Pulitzer Prize-winning American journalist Anne Applebaum, was also defence minister for the Law and Justice-led government between 2005 and 2007, before joining Civic Platform.

“It is a great honour for me to stand in front of this [parliamentary] chamber, one of Europe's oldest,” Sikorski said.

MPs from the largest opposition party, Law and Justice (PiS) - a party the former foreign minister has regularly lambasted in interviews and on his Twitter account - were not so enthused with the election of Sikorski to the speaker's chair, with one likening his political style to “a baseball bat”.

“Radoslaw Sikorski is a candidate of division, conflict and hate speech,” claimed MP Krzysztof Szczerski (PiS).

“Sikorski is an experienced politician, one of the longest ever serving ministers and well-known outside of Poland, but is he a man of dialogue and understanding?” asked MP for the Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) Tadeusz Iwiński.

Sikorski's candidature was put forward by the centre-right Civic Platform/PSL coalition: there were no other candidates. (pg)

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