Losing confidence in Belka
Deputies from opposition groups are calling for the vote in April, which, if carried, would make it possible to hold Parliamentary elections by the summer.
"We call on Marek Belka to carry out a confidence vote in his cabinet as soon as possible," Zygmunt Wrzodak, a deputy from the opposition League of Polish Families (LPR) party told Rzeczpospolita.
In an effort to end a stalemate that has blocked his cabinet's attempts at legislation, Belka has been struggling with his own party, the Democratic Left Alliance (SLD), to move elections forward from September to June.
The wrangling led to the resignation of Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister Jerzy Hausner, who has shifted his alliance to the newly formed Democratic Party. Last week Belka said he would replace Hausner with former Economy Minister Jacek Piechota, who told Reuters: "I do not rule out crossing to the Democratic Party."
To stave off early elections, the government would require at least 231 of the Parliament's 460 deputies to vote for Belka. Whether that is possible is unclear, since many SLD deputies have themselves been calling for polls in June.
Earlier elections would almost certainly benefit the opposition parties, while the SLD hopes that a later vote would give it more time to repair its damaged image with the public.
Regardless of a vote of confidence, Belka has already said that he will leave the government and his party on May 5, and will also call for a motion to dissolve Parliament the same day. The SLD has vowed to oppose the motion, and President Aleksander Kwaśniewski said that he will refuse to accept Belka's resignation until mid-May, meaning the earliest elections could be held would be late July.
"We call on Marek Belka to carry out a confidence vote in his cabinet as soon as possible," Zygmunt Wrzodak, a deputy from the opposition League of Polish Families (LPR) party told Rzeczpospolita.
In an effort to end a stalemate that has blocked his cabinet's attempts at legislation, Belka has been struggling with his own party, the Democratic Left Alliance (SLD), to move elections forward from September to June.
The wrangling led to the resignation of Deputy Prime Minister and Economy Minister Jerzy Hausner, who has shifted his alliance to the newly formed Democratic Party. Last week Belka said he would replace Hausner with former Economy Minister Jacek Piechota, who told Reuters: "I do not rule out crossing to the Democratic Party."
To stave off early elections, the government would require at least 231 of the Parliament's 460 deputies to vote for Belka. Whether that is possible is unclear, since many SLD deputies have themselves been calling for polls in June.
Earlier elections would almost certainly benefit the opposition parties, while the SLD hopes that a later vote would give it more time to repair its damaged image with the public.
Regardless of a vote of confidence, Belka has already said that he will leave the government and his party on May 5, and will also call for a motion to dissolve Parliament the same day. The SLD has vowed to oppose the motion, and President Aleksander Kwaśniewski said that he will refuse to accept Belka's resignation until mid-May, meaning the earliest elections could be held would be late July.
