THE CLIMATE between Poland's warring prime minister and president has entered a new ice age even after their divided delegation won concessions in Brussels on an EU climate package.
Prime minister Donald Tusk, head of the liberal Civic Platform, is expected to force a showdown with political rival President Lech Kaczynski over which of them runs the country after the president invited himself along to this week's summit. Both claimed credit for a deal that could see extra aid for coal-dependent Poland to buy carbon credits for its energy industry under a new climate protection scheme.
Back in Warsaw, meanwhile, the government has asked the country's leading court to clarify the fuzzy policy demarcation between prime minister and president. The constitution refers to the head of state as the "guardian of Polish sovereignty and security" who "co-operates" with the government.
Critics of Mr Kaczynski, whose twin brother heads the opposition Law and Justice party, suggest he has stretched the definition of his constitutional role to include "non- co-operation" with the government, turning daily political life in Warsaw into trench warfare.
"It's damaging to Poland's image more than Poland's interests," said Pawel Swieboda, director of the demosEuropa think tank in Warsaw.
Both sides have agreed a tactical truce but observers predict another clash soon, most likely the date for adopting the euro. Mr Tusk has called for Poland to join in 2011, a position that enjoys popular support, while Mr Kaczynski would prefer much later entry.
Speculation is growing that the prime minister could hold a referendum on euro zone entry, perhaps as early as next spring.
"If Mr Tusk wins, he could then say, 'the public supports our policy', a symbolic if not literal vote of confidence on government's line," Mr Swieboda said.
Other observers warn against letting the power struggle drag on, as some predict, until 2010 when Mr Tusk is expected to run against Mr Kaczynski for the presidency.
Andrzej Bobinski of Warsaw's Centre for International Relations said: "By pushing this personality row at the expense of other issues, people will become really tired, temperatures will boil and both sides will lose."