(From left) Polish opposition party leaders, Wlodzimierz Czarzasty, Szymon Holownia, Donald Tusk and Władyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, announce to reporters that Tusk is their candidate for prime minister and that they are ready to govern together, in Warsaw, Poland, Oct 24, 2023. (PHOTO / AP)

WARSAW - The leaders of the Polish opposition parties that won a joint majority in the country's parliamentary elections on Oct 15 announced Tuesday that they are ready to form a new government, with Donald Tusk as their candidate for prime minister.

The statement was made by Tusk, the leader of the largest opposition party Civic Platform, and other opposition party leaders. Together, these parties won over 54 percent of the vote in the parliamentary election, and will have a majority of 248 seats in the 460-seat Sejm, Poland's lower house of parliament.

Donald Tusk, 66, is former president of the European Council, and also served as Polish prime minister from 2007 to 2014

The ruling Law and Justice party, which won most of the vote but fell short of a majority, now has a slim chance of finding a viable coalition partner, according to a Polish Press Agency report.

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Tusk, 66, is former president of the European Council, and also served as Polish prime minister from 2007 to 2014.

"Today, together with the leaders of democratic parties, we confirmed our readiness to fully cooperate and create a new majority in the next parliament," Tusk told reporters at the parliament.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, Polish President Andrzej Duda is holding consultations at the Presidential Palace with representatives of parties that won seats in the new parliament.

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According to the Polish constitution, the first sessions of the Sejm and Senate must be convened by the president within 30 days of the election. The current government must then resign at the first session of the new Sejm, to be held on or before Nov 14.

The president then has 14 days to nominate a candidate for prime minister. Once named, the candidate has 14 days to secure a vote of confidence from lawmakers. If this attempt is unsuccessful, parliament then selects its own nominee for prime minister.