‘Diversity and flexibility’
“I trust that [Morawiecki] will be able to uphold the essence of ECR: common values … but not necessarily common positions,” Fernand Kartheiser, a Luxembourgish member of the European Parliament and member of the party’s board of directors, told POLITICO.
“This gives ECR its diversity and flexibility,” he added.
The party is divided into two branches, one right-wing section composed of national parties considered by centrist forces as moderate and acceptable to negotiate with, such as Brothers of Italy and ODS, and a section led by Law and Justice considered far right, which is systematically excluded from negotiations and leadership positions.
Morawiecki’s election is rather symbolic, as it coincides with the start of the Poland’s Council presidency, which will put Law and Justice’s nemesis, current center-right Prime Minister Donald Tusk, at the center of European politics.
With this move, the ECR is seeking to boost Law and Justice in Brussels and provide it a platform to fight Tusk’s Civic Coalition ahead of a presidential election in May.
“[It] is an occasion to show even more interest in political developments in Poland itself,” Kartheiser said.
