SLD and PSL agree to form coalition after 9 hours of 'stormy debate'

A left-wing coalition will lead Poland after the Polish Peasants' Party (PSL) overcame last-minute misgivings at the weekend to form a coalition government with the Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) and the Labor Union (UP). On Saturday the parties held meetings of their national councils in order to decide whether to accept the terms of the coalition agreement negotiated over the previous three days. SLD and UP were certain to agree, but PSL was internally divided over the issue and despite the final decision, some of its politicians are still against the move. "We should respect the will of Polish voters, who clearly said whom they wanted to entrust with the reins of government. The SLD should set up a minority government," said Janusz Piechocinski, a leading opponent of the coalition. SLD had a much more comfortable position in the talks than eight years ago, when the same parties formed a coalition government. This time around, SLD is just a few seats short of majority in Parliament and a minority government is always a viable alternative for the leftist party. The two priorities for the new government will be EU integration, with the target of closing accession talks next year, and public finances, where deep spending cuts are required to bring the deficit down to safe levels. (Reuters) T.J.