Donald Tusk

Donald Tusk

Donald Franciszek Tusk, born on 22 April, 1957 in Gdańsk, is a Polish politician, co-founder and now chairman of the liberal conservative Civic Platform (Platforma Obywatelska).

He was one of several vice-speakers of the Sejm (2001 -2005), the lower house of Polish parliament. Prior to co-founding the Citizens' Platform in 2001, he was a prominent member of the Liberal Democratic Congress (Kongres Liberalno-Demokratyczny) and the Freedom Union (Unia Wolności). He quit the Freedom Union after he failed to win the party's chairmanship in a race against Bronisław Geremek.

Tusks's political position combines strong support of a free market economy without government interference with social conservatism. As of 2004, he has been a member of the Sejm.

Tusk represents the constituency of Gdynia-Słupsk. In 2005, the Civic Platform nominated him for that year's presidential election, where he lost in the second round to Lech Kaczyński.

Both of Donald Tusk's parents were citizens of the Free City of Danzig. One of Tusk's grandfathers was reportedly forced to join the German Army, Wehrmacht, during World War II. He deserted about 10 days later, and joined the Polish Armed Forces in the West. During the Polish elections in 2005, it was claimed by Jacek Kurski, Lech Kaczyński's assistant, that Tusk's grandfather served as a volunteer in the German Army during WWII, although there is no evidence that he was actually a 'volunteer'. As a German citizen (after Danzig was anexed in 1939), Józef Tusk was subjected to conscription.

Tusk is married and has two children, a son (Michał) and a daughter (Katarzyna).

Tusk is of Kashubian descent.

See also

• Politics of Poland
• List of political parties in Poland
• List of politicians in Poland
• Polish presidential election, 2005

External links

• Presidential campaign website
• Template:Pl icon Unofficial presidential campaign website
• Donald Tusk – the Implementation of Polish dream.