Poland's Tusk issues warning after far-right gains in France

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk takes part in a press statement after a joint meeting in the Federal Chancellery. Christoph Soeder/dpa

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk issued a warning on Monday following far-right gains in the first round of the French parliamentary elections.

"They like Putin, money and power without control. They rule or are reaching for power in the east and west of Europe," Tusk posed on X. He warned that right-wing populists would join forces in the European Parliament.

"In Poland, we reversed this disastrous course of events at the last minute. Let's not waste this," he added.

A centre-left government took power led by Tusk in Poland in December following elections in October, in which the nationalist conservative Law and Justice Party (PiS) lost power after ruling the country since 2015.

PiS policies on justice in particular caused conflict with the European Union and with Germany, Poland's powerful western neighbour.

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