SKL leaves AWS to join PO
The board of the Conservative Peasant Party (SKL), a component of the ruling Solidarity Electoral Action (AWS), decided to leave AWS and join the centrist Civic Platform (PO). It is probable that a new conservative grouping would be formed inside the AWS. It will be composed of those SKL members who wish to remain within the AWS, such as the party's deputy head Wieslaw Walendziak and Culture Minister Kazimierz Michal Ujazdowski. SKL's ministers are also likely to stay, as SKL strongly supported the government of Prime Minister Jerzy Buzek. Buzek announced he would talk to the ministers today. At the same time, PO announced it was not going to sign any election alliances with other organisations. PO's Donald Tusk said SKL members will need to pass primary elections, should they want to be put on PO's election lists. Solidarity union head Marian Krzaklewski called SKL's move "political treason", while Buzek said AWS's objective was "unity, but not at any price." Buzek said he wanted a broad agreement to be reached within AWS. The split within AWS, however, also goes along another line: there is disagreement as to the role of former deputy prime minister Janusz Tomaszewski. Last week, Tomaszewski, who had returned to active politics after being cleared by the vetting court, was denied a possibility to return to his previously held position of the head of the AWS Social Movement (RS AWS), another member of the AWS alliance. It was noted that Tomaszewski failed to appear at AWS's congress held on Saturday, which might mean he refused to take the position of AWS election campaign head, offered by PM Buzek. If Tomaszewski leaves AWS, he would be followed by a number of supporters. bb, kp
Źródło:IntelliNews Daily
