Polish PM Donald Tusk prepares for confidence vote
Contextual information and background
Tusk, who served as European Council president from 2014-19 and has been Poland's prime minister since 2007, is a prominent figure in European politics. His proposed Law and Justice party (PiS) cabinet has steered a controversial conservative course since coming to power and currently governs with a thin parliamentary majority.
The impending vote
The vote of confidence comes in response to recent pension reform proposals that would raise the retirement age to 67, up from the current level of 65 for men and 60 for women. This move has elicited strong pushback from opposition parties and public advocates, with critics calling the move "unpopular" and "unexpected.
Impact on EU policy
Should Tusk lose the vote of confidence, it may undermine his political clout both in Poland and in the wider European Union, where he has remained a prominent voice since leaving the Polish prime ministership in favor of a brief stint as EU president.