Poland's mainstream opposition parties said on Tuesday they are ready to take power, as they seek to increase pressure on the president to make a quick decision on appointing their candidate Donald Tusk as prime minister.
Duda, an ally of the ruling nationalists Law and Justice (PiS), is holding consultations on Tuesday and Wednesday with all the parliamentary parties that won seats in the Oct. 15 elections.
With PiS having fallen short of a majority, pro-European Union opposition parties look poised to take power in a huge shift for Poland after eight years of feuding with Brussels over issues ranging from judicial independence to LGBT rights.
"Together with the leaders of the democratic parties, we confirmed our readiness to cooperate fully and create a majority in the next parliament," Tusk, the leader of Poland's largest liberal opposition grouping Civic Coalition (KO), told a news conference.
He said he would be the opposition's candidate for prime minister.
Duda has previously said that he would give the first shot at forming a government to the largest single party in the lower house of parliament.
PiS came first in the general election but is unlikely to be able to form a coalition that could govern.
A PiS delegation led by Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki arrived at the Presidential Palace on Tuesday for talks shortly after the opposition leaders spoke.
"We will try to create a majority government, but whether it will be possible... depends on the president," said government spokesman Piotr Muller.
The leaders of the three groupings intent on forming the next government - Tusk's liberal KO, the centre-right Third Way and the New Left - have all ruled out working with PiS and have urged Duda to give Tusk the job of forming a government immediately.
"Mr President, with all due respect for the institution and dignity you hold, I would like to tell you: no more scheming," New Left co-leader Wlodzimierz Czarzasty said.
Źródło: TVN24 News in English, Reuters