Poland: Seven months of political wrangling ended in Poland yesterday after the ruling conservative Law and Justice Party (PiS) formed a majority coalition government with two fringe parties.
The nationalist, ultra-Catholic League of Polish Families (LPR) agreed to join the minority coalition that PiS leaders formed last week with Self Defence, a left-wing populist farmers' party.
"This is the majority that will save the Polish political system," said Mr Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz of PiS, who has served as prime minister in a minority administration since the autumn.
The new cabinet was sworn in yesterday afternoon by President Lech Kaczynski, whose twin brother Jaroslaw heads PiS.
"This is not the optimal solution . . . but we don't have any other option at the moment," said President Kacyznski to Fakt newspaper.
At the same time, about 200 people gathered in central Warsaw in a spontaneous protest against the new government.
LPR leader Roman Giertych joins the cabinet with the education and sport portfolio. He is known for his conservative views and his opposition to the EU, which LPR members view as a homosexual plot.
Members of the LPR's far-right youth group "All Poland Youth" threw bottles and stones during Warsaw's gay pride parade last year, chanting slogans that homosexuals belonged in concentration camps.
There were few details of the new government's plans yesterday, but Self Defence leader Andrzej Lepper, agriculture minister in the new cabinet, promised a new road-building programme and investment in farming.
Political opponents and observers welcomed the building of a majority government after endless rounds of political horse-trading. But many questioned the stability of the new three-party government, particularly as Mr Giertych will share the title of vice-premier with Mr Lepper.
"I don't think the coalition will last long," said Julia Pitera of the liberal Civic Platform (PO).
"This government will be in continuous argument, with Andrzej Lepper and Roman Giertych fighting over who is first in the coalition," said Ryszard Kalisz of the post-communist Democratic Left party (SLD) swept from office last year on a wave of corruption allegations.
