Two ministers in Poland's conservative-led cabinet survived parliamentary no-confidence votes on Friday when a junior coalition partner fell back in line after threatening to back the opposition, according to Reuters. Leftist party Self-Defence had threatened to support an opposition motion to dismiss Treasury Minister Wojciech Jasinski if the conservatives did not meet its demand to sack the head of parliament's agriculture commission, Wojciech Mojzesowicz. But shortly ahead of votes on Jasinski and Education Minister Roman Giertych, Mojzesowicz stepped down and Self-Defence fell in line. The no-confidence motions were filed by the opposition centre-right Civic Platform party. It criticises Jasinski for delaying privatisation and politicising appointments to boards of state-controlled companies, while it wants Giertych removed from his post because of his controversial nationalist views. The Law and Justice conservatives narrowly won last year's elections ahead of the Civic Platform and initially formed a minority cabinet. In May Law and Justice formed a majority coalition with Self-Defence and Giertych's League of Polish Families. Tensions between the three have been mounting in recent weeks as parties start campaigning for local elections due in November. Self-Defence has repeatedly threatened to quit the coalition and to trigger early polls unless the 2007 budget plan includes more social spending. Giertych also has said his party's backing for the budget would hinge on pay rises for teachers. So far financial markets and political analysts have treated this talk as part of posturing ahead of regional polls rather than a real threat.
