President recalls minister after scandal

Andrzej Duda, the Polish president, has recalled Michal Cieslak, a minister at the Prime Minister's Office, who demanded the firing of a post office manager after she complained to him about rising prices in Poland.

Cieslak's dismissal, which took place on Wednesday, came at the request of the prime minister, Mateusz Morawiecki.

A local newspaper reported last week that Cieslak, a minister for local governments at the Prime Minister's Office, had gone to a post office in Pacanow, southern Poland, to collect his mail.

As he was a local MP, the office manager recognised him and complained to him about rising prices. According to the paper, Cieslak did not like what he heard and asked the woman's superiors to dismiss her. She was then summoned by her chief who threatened to fire her owing to her behaviour. In the end, the woman kept her job after a short time spent on suspension.

Jaroslaw Kaczynski, leader of Poland's ruling party, Law and Justice (PiS), said last week he expected the minister to resign as his party "adhered to strict standards."

On the same day, Cieslak tweeted that he had made a decision to step down following talks with Kaczynski and Adam Bielan, leader of Republican Party, a small ally of PiS in the government.

Republican Party will retain the place in the government vacated by Cieslak.