Polish PM Calls for Govt Confidence Vote After Nationalist's Presidential Win

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on June 2 called for a parliamentary confidence vote next week in a bid to demonstrate continued support for his pro-European Union government after nationalist Karol Nawrocki won the presidential election.

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European far-right leaders have hailed the election of 42-year-old Mr Nawrocki, a fan of US President Donald Trump who has said he will oppose the Tusk government's progressive agenda on abortion and LGBTQ rights.

Mr Nawrocki won June 1's run-off in the highly polarized European Union and Nato member state with 51 per cent of the vote to 49 per cent for Mr Tusk's liberal ally Rafal Trzaskowski.

Former EU chief Tusk set the confidence vote for June 11 and vowed to stay on, telling reporters: "Some things can be done better, faster. And this vote of confidence should be a new beginning: offensive, not defensive."

The announcement came after opposition leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski of right-wing party Law and Justice (PiS) said Poles had shown the government the "red card".

Celebrating his victory, Mr Nawrocki said he wanted Poland to be "a state that matters in international, European and transatlantic relations".

Mr Nawrocki could revive tensions with Brussels over rule-of-law issues and complicate ties with neighboring Ukraine as he opposes Nato membership for the war-torn country and wants to cut benefits for Ukrainian refugees.