In the spotlight: Janusz Palikot

At a meeting of the Polish Business Round Table, Palikot announced that he would call for PO leader Donald Tusk to dismiss Jan Rokita, a high-ranking member of the party.

Then, in an interview for Dziennik daily, Palikot stated that Tusk should be challenged with a vote of no confidence, because of his failure to discipline some deputies, including Rokita, who have made public statements about PO's internal affairs. "The party is damaged by such statements. Those who make such statements ... should be dismissed from the party," Palikot said. Moreover, he claimed that the party should invite new people, such as ex-Prime Minister Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz, to join, and that the party needs several leading figures rather than only one.

Last Thursday he submitted two proposals for Rokita's dismissal. "Since Jan Rokita has frequently broken the [party] statute within the last few months, I'm sure he will be dismissed from the party," he said. Palikot did not reveal exactly what he is accusing his party colleague of, but he expressed his belief that ousting Rokita would enable PO to focus the media and the public on the party's top issues.

Donald Tusk described Palikot's assertions as "coming from nowhere." Palikot, however, is convinced that his suggestions will help PO end its current crisis and has no intention of leaving the party. "I consider PO to be a fantastic political idea. My statement aims to mobilize the party board to take actions that will enable the party to gain 40-percent support," he said