Promotion without portfolio

Last week Przemysław Gosiewski joined the government's upper echelons as Deputy Prime Minister. "This nomination makes sense - it is much more than a personal issue," said Prime Minister Jarosław Kaczyński.

Law and Justice (PiS) party whip Marek Kuchciński called Gosiewski "a person of gigantic organizational capacities" and more hardworking than anyone he knows. "This is a wise decision on the Prime Minister's part," he added. Coalition members were more cautious with their praise. Representatives of both Self-defense and the League of Polish Families (LPR) claimed that the appointment was PiS' independent decision.

Gosiewski's appointment arose from a vacancy left when Ludwik Dorn took over as Speaker of the Sejm. Gosiewski was previously head of the Permanent Committee of the Council of Ministers (KSRM). He also held the position of Minister without portfolio and will now become a Deputy Prime Minister without portfolio.

But the opposition doesn't share PiS' enthusiasm for Gosiewski's traits. Civic Platform's (PO) Bronisław Komorowski said that Gosiewski's nomination proves that with PiS "it's the most loyal who win," adding that "competence, skills, experience are less important," The Democratic Left Alliance's (SLD) Ryszard Kalisz questioned Gosiewski's organizational skills. "[As the head of the KSRM] he didn't organize government work well and was falling behind with bills," he said. The opposition also questioned whether a fourth Deputy Prime Minister post is necessary at all.