At a Saturday convention in Warsaw, Donald Tusk’s allied parties—PO, Modern, and Polish Initiative—dissolved their historic identities to form a new Coalition of the Citizens, launching a fresh program for the 2026 parliamentary elections.
Three Parties Merge, New Party Forms
In a Saturday session at the capital’s ATM Studio, PO, Modern, and Polish Initiative agreed to end their distinct political histories and create the Coalition of the Citizens, also known as the Koalicja Obywatelska. The congress will change the party’s logo from “Polska z uśmiechem” to a white‑red heart, and name a new leadership team headed by Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
Former Modern spokesperson Adam Szłapka and Platforma Obywatelska leader Barbara Nowacka will serve as deputies, while Warsaw Mayor and former coalition presidential candidate Rafał Trzaskowski joins the board.
Coalition Program to Start in Late July
The new formation requires an electoral program for the 2026 parliamentary elections. A preliminary conference by the think tank Instytut Obywatelski will take place on Sunday at the Centrum Nauki Kopernik, kicking off the program drafting process.
Sessions will cover education, the space industry, nuclear energy, and railway development, with a speech launch by Donald Tusk setting the program agenda.
Tusk Addresses Recent Incidents
Tusk referenced a recent arson attempt on the building housing PO’s National Office, as well as allegations that his daughter, Katarzyna Tusk‑Cudna, was a victim in a Pegasus surveillance investigation involving his wife, Małgorzata Tusk.
He accused PiS president Jarosław Kaczyński of orchestrating both the arson and the alleged surveillance, labeling him “the fire‑starter from Żoliborz.”
PiS Prepares Its Own Programme
Parliamentary opposition lawmaker Andrzej Duda, alongside the Law and Justice party, is hosting a comprehensive programme conference in Katowice. The event includes about 100 themed panels and aims to initiate the drafting of a new opposition programme.
