Poland's Donald Tusk set to become PM, ending eight years of nationalist rule

FILE PHOTO: Polish politician Donald Tusk, leader of Civic Coalition (KO) and the opposition's candidate for future Prime Minister, looks on, on the day of his meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Brussels, Belgium October 25, 2023. REUTERS/Johanna Geron/FILE PHOTO

WARSAW (Reuters) -Former European Council President Donald Tusk is expected to be appointed prime minister of Poland on Monday, signalling a return to the European mainstream after eight years of nationalist rule that critics say saw a backsliding in democracy.

Critics say the Law and Justice (PiS) party undermined judicial independence, turned state-owned media into a propaganda tube and fomented prejudice against minorities like immigrants and the LGBT community.