Under the new left-liberal government led by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, nearly 40 individuals associated with the previous administration of the United Right have been dismissed from the Chancellery of the Prime Minister. In contrast, about 100 new staff members have been hired, reports the tabloid Fakt.
Before assuming power, Tusk’s team had criticized the employment practices during former Conservative Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki’s tenure, accusing it of excessive hiring. The Coalition Civic (KO) officials had promised media outlets that they would cut back on staff numbers.
However, by the end of 2023, as Tusk’s coalition began to take control, alarms were sounded over the Chancellery’s budget, which was reportedly stretched thin after Morawiecki’s rule.
Jan Grabiec, the head of the Chancellery, described the situation as so severe that there were doubts whether there would be enough funds to cover the salaries of the staff; a shortfall of 3 million złoty (€700,000) was emphasized as a consequence of the increased employment during the United Right’s time.
Despite earlier promises, in January 2024, Grabiec announced on ZET radio a 10 percent reduction in positions, which translated to the termination of 39 employees from Morawiecki’s era. Additionally, 18 government members were also let go. Over 2 million złoty (€465,000) were spent on severance payments, according to Grzegorz Karpiński, deputy head of the Chancellery, in response to a parliamentary inquiry.
Despite the initial cuts, the new administration did not merely replace the old employees but increased the total number significantly. Fakt notes that from Dec. 13, 2023, to June 10, 2024, the Chancellery of the Prime Minister added 95 new staff members.
