A new poll indicates that a substantial majority of Poles are unhappy with Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s government, citing its failure to fulfill electoral promises.
The survey, conducted on Aug. 8-9 by the Pollster Research Institute for the tabloid Super Express, found that 62 percent were dissatisfied with the left-liberal coalition government with only 27 percent of respondents believing the government is keeping its promises.
The results are a clear sign of widespread disillusionment with the current administration.
Henryk Domański, a sociologist from the Polish Academy of Sciences (PAN), commented on the findings, noting that there is a solidification of negative assessments regarding the government’s fulfillment of electoral pledges. “This poll is yet another confirmation that the majority of Poles are dissatisfied with the government’s actions and convinced that it is not delivering on its campaign promises,” he said.
Prof. Domański also pointed out that the 27 percent who are satisfied with the government align with the electorate of Civic Platform (PO), the party led by Tusk. “It’s not surprising,” he added. “This indicates that the electorate of the Third Way alliance, not to mention the Polish People’s Party (PSL) and the Left, is disappointed.”
Despite the growing discontent, Prof. Domański believes that the government still enjoys the support of the PO electorate because, in essence, the government is Donald Tusk.
The sociologist also noted that the poll reveals the shortcomings of the ruling left-liberal coalition, which was expected. “Remember, the agreement was made between the leaders of the individual parties, not between the electorates. The electorate voted separately for PO, the Left, PSL, or Poland 2050,” he emphasized.
However, Prof. Domański does not harbor any illusions. In his opinion, the declining assessments of the government’s actions have not yet been reflected in a change in Poles’ electoral preferences.
“This does not directly translate into a decrease in electoral support for the entire coalition. An increase in negative assessments of the government’s actions will not immediately change the outcome of a potential election if it were held now. We still have stable support for Law and Justice (PiS) and PO. These results should not be reassuring for the government. Although they do not currently translate into a potential electoral outcome, they do not indicate that such a coalition could be formed again. This is exactly what the Pollster Research Institute’s poll shows,” the scientist stressed.
Prof. Domański also observed that despite growing dissatisfaction and disappointment, if snap elections were to be held, the result would likely be a repetition of the previous year’s outcome, with PiS winning. The uncertainty lies in whether PO would be able to convince its coalition partners to form an agreement again. It is possible that in the current situation, such a coalition would not materialize, and an alternative might emerge between PiS and another party.
Domański further argued that while Tusk’s coalition renegotiation plans signal his dissatisfaction, these talks seem more aimed at blaming his partners for the government’s failures. “For Tusk, fulfilling campaign promises largely means holding PiS accountable, as seen in his recent statements,” he added.
