Ruling party will defend unity of ruling coalition says PM
Mateusz Morawiecki, the prime minister, has said his Law and Justice (PiS) party would support Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro in a no-confidence vote, adding that the unity of the United Right coalition government must be defended.
Ziobro, who is the leader of Solidary Poland, a junior member of the coalition, faces the vote, which was called for by Civic Platform, Poland's main opposition party, next week.
The justice minister's hawkish attitude to Europe has been at odds with that of PiS, which has struck a more conciliatory tone in the government's disputes with the EU.
But Morawiecki said that despite their differences he would defend Ziobro and added that the entire ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party would vote for him to remain in the government.
"Solidary Poland is a very important partner of ours and, of course, we will defend the unity of the United Right," Morawiecki said.
On Monday, the newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza wrote that there are question marks over the future of the justice minister.
It said Ziobro was isolated in the government owing to his refusal to compromise with Brussels over some judicial reforms in a standoff that has led to Poland's access to EU funding being blocked.
As the government wants this money, therefore, according to Wyborcza, it might be prepared to jettison Ziobro by not supporting him in the no-confidence vote.
