Tusk May Win 2nd Term as EU Council President Even If Poland Opposes Reelection

Donald Tusk, former Polish prime minister, will be reelected as president of the European Council even in case if Poland is against, according to source in the European Council.

BRUSSELS (Sputnik) – The reelection of Donald Tusk, former Polish prime minister and co-founder of the opposition Polish Civic Platform party (PO), for the second term as president of the European Council does not require unanimous consent of all 28 EU member states, a source in the European Council told Sputnik Thursday in the light of a row between Brussels and Warsaw over Tusk's reelection.

Warsaw decided to ditch support for Tusk and proposed Saturday Jacek Saryusz-Wolski, a member of the European Parliament, as the only candidate for the post of the European Council’s head nominated by Poland. Polish government spokesman Rafal Bochenek said one could "hardly imagine" that Warsaw would support Tusk, who "attacked Polish government and harmed Polish state" in his rhetoric.

"Usually EU leaders take decisions unanimously. But in case of Tusk, the decision can be taken even if Poland is against," the source said.

Saryusz-Wolski, Tusk's party fellow in the European People’s Party (EPP), as well as in the PO, was stripped of his post as vice-president of the EEP on Tuesday. In a statement, revoking Saryusz-Wolski's title, EPP President Joseph Daul said he regretted "Saryusz-Wolski’s disloyalty and disrespect" toward the values of his parties, namely the EPP and the PO.

EU leaders are expected to reelect Tusk as the European Council’s president at the summit in Brussels on March 9-10. Tusk’s tenure expires on May 31.