Polish president starts talks on forming new government

Polish President Bronislaw Komorowsky has begun talks on formation of a new government, a presidential spokesman said on Wednesday. Parliamentary elections on October 9 saw five parties garner at least 5% of the vote, the minimum needed to win seats in the Sejm on party lists, the State Electoral Commission (PKW) said on Tuesday. The governing Civic Platform of Prime Minister Donald Tusk got 207 seats, followed by Jaroslaw Kaczynski's conservative-nationalist Law and Justice Party with 157 seats. The new left-wing Palikot’s Movement led by Janusz Palikot won 40 seats, the Polish People’s Party under Deputy Prime Minister Waldemar Pawlak won 28 seats and the Democratic Left Alliance chaired by Grzegorz Napieralski got 27 seats. In addition, German Minority took 1 seat. “The president is currently meeting with Donald Tusk and will begin talks with Jaroslaw Kaczynski at 1:30," the spokesman said. The president is scheduled to meet with Palikot and Pawlak on Thursday and with Napieralski on Friday. Polish analysts expect Tusk will be appointed to put together a coalition, which will likely include Civic Platform and the People’s Party. The renewed coalition would have 235 seats, just over the minimum of 231 required.