Szydło’s resignation was accepted on Thursday evening, halfway through her Law and Justice government’s term in office and after weeks of media reports of an impending Cabinet reshuffle.
The Law and Justice party’s Political Committee has recommended Szydło should be replaced by Morawiecki, who is deputy prime minister and development minister as well as finance minister, said party spokeswoman Beata Mazurek.
Commentators have said that the planned change reflects the government’s determination to focus on the economy over the next two years.
Morawiecki, 49, an ex-banker, has crafted an ambitious Plan for Responsible Development. The government announced last year that billions would be injected into the economy over the next 25 years under the long-term economic plan for the country.
‘Other tasks ahead of us'
Mazurek told reporters on Thursday: “The national and international situation means that we have further challenges ahead of us. So our method of working up to now is evolving, there are other tasks ahead of us. That requires a correction not only [involving] changes in government ministers, but also in leadership."
Mazurek added that it would be for Morawiecki to decide what post Szydło would now be offered.
Deputy Culture Minister Jarosław Sellin said a new government would be appointed on Tuesday, according to Poland’s PAP news agency.
Law and Justice (PiS) swept to power in October 2015 in a landslide election victory, ending eight years of a government led by its arch-rival, the Civic Platform, now Poland's largest opposition group.
PiS has opened up a huge lead over the Civic Platform in the opinion polls, boosted by its popular flagship policy to give families new welfare handouts and buoyed by strong economic growth.
The government on Thursday morning easily survived a vote of no-confidence motion put forward by the opposition.
The bid by the Civic Platform had no chance of succeeding since Law and Justice holds a majority in parliament.
Faster growth
Szydło said in a media interview on Wednesday that next year Poland’s ruling conservatives planned to focus on policies to further improve the economy and ensure even faster growth to consolidate the country’s “historically lowest unemployment, the best results in terms of economic growth in six years, and the best results in terms of public finances.”
In late October, Szydło denied media speculation she might lose her job in a government reshuffle.
(pk/gs)
Source:PAP