Polish prime minister Donald Tusk faces accusations of hypocrisy and blatant opportunism after endorsing the idea of limiting social benefits for refugees, including Ukrainians. The policy closely resembles one already submitted by the right-wing opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party, leading to claims the government is adopting the very policies it once criticised.
The PiS proposal seeks to limit the “800 plus” child benefit programme—a monthly payment of 800 zlotys (€190) per child under the age of 18—to families who work and pay taxes in Poland. Tusk’s endorsement of a nearly identical measure, following a rally by his party’s presidential candidate Rafał Trzaskowski, has led to accusations that the government is shamelessly copying the opposition. PiS parliamentary leader Mariusz Błaszczak pointed out that their proposal predates the government’s sudden shift.
Speaking in the European Parliament, PiS MEP Joachim Brudziński mocked the “miracle” conversion of Tusk and his party on the topic of immigration.
Representatives of the Left and [centrist] EPP attacked the PiS government in a vulgar and foolish manner for building a wall on the Polish-Belarusian border and protecting the EU’s external border. Donald Tusk thundered that migrants brought by Lukashenko were poor people seeking a better life and should be let in. Today, the same Tusk calls for border protection and claims security is paramount.
The debate has also exposed the EU’s double standards. Under Poland’s previous PiS government, Brussels withheld billions in funding, citing alleged “rule-of-law deficiencies.” However, Tusk, a former European Council chief and ally of Commission president Ursula von der Leyen’s European People’s Party (EPP), has so far escaped similar scrutiny. Despite his left-liberal government proposing the suspension of asylum rights and the implementation of stricter migration controls—policies for which PiS was harshly criticised—the EU has continued to support Tusk.
As Tusk aligns more closely with PiS-style migration policies, questions arise about the EU’s favouritism towards its friends. For now, Tusk appears shielded by his European allies.
