Sikorski officially resigns
PR dla Zagranicy
Jo Harper
23.06.2015 12:28
Radosław Sikorski officially resigned as Speaker of the Sejm, the lower house of parliament, on Tuesday morning.
Radek Sikorski leaving the Sejm building after his resignation on 23 June. Photo: PAP
Deputy Speaker Jerzy Wenderlich (Democratic Left Alliance, SLD) said a decision on a deadline for selecting a new speaker would be made later on Tuesday.
Government spokesperson Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska is reportedly the governing party’s nomination to replace Sikorski.
PM Ewa Kopacz sacked several ministers two weeks ago, while Sikorski resigned citing the need to maintain party (Civic Platform, PO) unity only four months before parliamentary elections that PO looks far less likely to win than it did a few months ago.
Sikorski, who held the post of foreign minister under Kopacz's predecessor Donald Tusk, was one of the victims of the so-called "Waitergate" scandal that started in 2014 and reared its head again several weeks ago. He was recorded saying some rather unflattering things about Poland's allies and about Poles.
Kidawa-Błońska said she would meet with all parliamentary clubs before the appointment if necessary. To be elected a minimum of 50 percent of MPs in the Sejm will need to vote in favour of appointing Kidawa-Błońska.
Kidawa-Błońska was elected to the Sejm in the 2005 election. (jh)