Problems in the opposition

At the party's recent national convention, the Civic Platform leader apologized to voters that PO had failed to have an impact on recent developments on the Polish political scene. He appealed to those who oppose the current administration to demonstrate "healthy anger" and support his party.

The question is, what would they be supporting? PO has been less than splendid in opposition. Law and Justice (PiS) has given PO ample ammunition to launch a political assault, including a litany of broken election promises, a lack of concrete economic planning and the protracted building and breaking of coalitions. This sort of material is a rich seam that most savvy opportunists could profitably mine; PO, by contrast, can barely raise its political pickaxe. 

The latest coalition, to the surprise of many and the chagrin of PO, appears to be holding water; PO could yet be ruing that it did not spring for snap elections when it had the chance. Recent opinion polls placed PO marginally ahead of PiS in the event of an election, but without elections, polls are cold comfort.

If PiS continues to learn from its mistakes as quickly as it has done in recent weeks, then elections could be much further away than PO thinks. PiS put together what seemed an unworkable coalition, but  has managed to clear the first few hurdles in its path. It will probably benefit from a wave of popular support in the wake of the visit of Pope Benedict XVI, and has already begun to work on the local elections.

PO, on the other hand, is in danger of becoming the opposition by default; the Labour government in Britain has successfully retained power not through brilliant governance, but through the inability of the Conservative opposition to present a viable alternative. Donald Tusk will have to work hard to avoid the Tories' fate.