Marek Jurek
Ex Speaker
Polish President Loses Loyalty Vote As Poland's Government Splits - Speaker Dismissed
Classified Polnews
Warsaw, Poland April 14, 2007 In a vote on five amendments to the provisions concerning abortion in Poland's Constitution, the Speaker of The Polish Parliament, followed by many other party members, did not support the President's proposal yesterday in a key vote that was seen as a vote to show loyalty to the President. The President's brother, the Prime Minister, told the Speaker to resign.
The Polish Catholic Church was against any move to amend the Constitution, as was the President. They felt that there was adequate protection and any attempt to make an amendment could possibly weaken the protection.
But some members of the Parliament, notably among the group was the Speaker of the Parliament, Marek Jurek, were determined to force the issue and make the rules on abortion more restrictive.
The debate became emotional as many variations of a proposed change to the Constitution were proposed. The President, in order to try to provide a compromise on the change, offered his own amendment proposal.
But lawyers said that it was badly drafted. And Marek Jurek with a group of over fifty other members of the President's party signed a letter asking the President to withdraw the proposal. Their reasoning was that the proposed change would actually make abortion more accessible to women.
After many meetings it was agreed that PIS would support the President's proposal and a second proposal put forward by a Parliamentary Committee. Three other proposals offered by other parties would not get support.
But when it came time to vote, Jurek's group did not support the President's proposal. And all five proposals went down in defeat.
The fallout was swift. Marek Kuchczynski, Head of the PIS Parliamentary Club said that there would be consequences for those who signed the letter asking for the President's proposal to be withdrawn.
Marek Jurek was told to resign and he did.
And the others who signed the letter with him are surprised by the reaction to their signing. They are waiting to see what the consequences to them will be.
It spite of the show of disloyalty to the President and split, the Prime Minister said that his party is one and united.
But Bronislaw Komorowski of the opposition party the Civic Platform disagrees. He said that said that some of PIS is moving so far right that PIS will self annihilate.
There is a meeting of the PIS Parliamentary Club today, Saturday.
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