Ruling party tries to unite on civil partnerships

Minister Gowin before talks with PM Tusk on Monday: photo - PAP/ Jakub Kamiński

“I hope that this cooperation will bear fruit in the form of specific bills that we still have time to enact in Parliament,” Minister Gowin said after a row within the ruling Civic Platform party over finding a unified position on civil partnerships.

Jaroslaw Gowin led a number of conservatives within the centre-right party in voting against three different bills on civil partnerships in January, much to the annoyance of Prime Minister Tusk.

Donald Tusk emerged from the talks with Gowin saying that the justice minister has convinced him that “we needed a few days to give us a chance to think about whether we can make arrangements whereby we can continue to cooperate. Today Minister Gowin convinced me that this is possible”.

After it was announced last Thursday that his fate within the government would be decided on Monday, Gowin tweeted, 'I don't like Monday's' in reference to the 1980s hit by Irish band Boomtown Rats.

On the TVN24 news station on Monday evening, he made reference to another 1980s hit, Jeszcze będzie przepięknie (It will still be beautiful) this time by Polish band Tilt.

“I sent my followers [on Twitter] a musical message: I do not like Mondays, and now I want them to send another message, this time by Tilt: It will still be beautiful, still be normal,” Gowin said, although he refused to elaborate on what agreement he came to with PM Tusk.

The talks on Monday avoided a potentially major split between liberals and conservatives within the ruling centre-right party. (pg)