In a move that highlights the growing tensions within the coalition government, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has fired his deputy minister of development and technology after a failed attempt to ease the country's strict abortion laws. The dismissal of Waldemar Sługocki, a member of Tusk's Civic Coalition (KO), signals the need for discipline within the coalition to prevent cracks that could benefit the populist right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) party.

The coalition, which comprises Tusk's liberal KO, the Left Party, the centrist Poland 2050, and the Polish People's Party (PSL), was formed last year after the PiS party fell short of a majority in the October elections. However, on July 12, the coalition faced a significant setback as 24 PSL deputies, along with all opposition MPs in the Sejm, voted against the proposed easing of the abortion ban. This resulted in a total of 218 deputies rejecting the bill, while only 215 voted in favor.

Among those who abstained from casting their ballots were Sługocki, Krzysztof Grabczuk, and Roman Giertych. Grabczuk, who was excused due to his hospitalization, avoided any reprimand. However, Tusk did not hesitate to remove Giertych from his role as vice-chairman of the KO parliamentary club, clearly indicating his intention to enforce discipline within the coalition.

Expressing his disappointment at failing to secure a majority vote for the bill, Tusk vowed to do "everything he can" to prevent the coalition from falling apart over the divisive issue of abortion. While Tusk's dismissal of Sługocki is seen as a punitive action, it also highlights his determination to maintain a united front within the coalition.

The abortion debate in Poland has remained contentious, with the country possessing some of the strictest abortion laws in Europe. The latest attempt to ease these laws has not only exposed divisions within the coalition but also underscored the political maneuvering of the PiS party, which seeks to exploit any instability within the government.

As tensions rise and the abortion debate continues, it remains to be seen how Tusk and his coalition partners will navigate this issue while striving to maintain cohesion and govern effectively. The fate of Poland's abortion laws and the stability of the coalition government itself hang precariously in the balance.