Tension in government coalition comes to light

Tensions in the government coalition between the Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) and the Polish Peasants' Party (PSL) were highlighted during last week's voting, described now by SLD politicians as "the Friday betrayal." On that day, PSL deputies passed -- in cooperation with the opposition -- an autumn, instead of spring, date for local government elections, as well as a vote calculation method more favorable to small parties. This was contrary to an earlier agreement between the leaders of both parties. The SLD's leader, Prime Minister Leszek Miller, called the PSL's attitude "funny." According to sources close to the PSL, the party is anxious about possibly losing in local government elections, which would be "ultimately tragic" for the party. (Gazeta Wyborcza, p. 3) M.T.