Will the reconstruction affect the Health Ministry?

The reconstruction of the government is undoubtedly the leading topic of the week and the details are expected to be known, according to media reports on Monday, July 23 - Wednesday. What remains to be seen is whether Prime Minister Donald Tusk will then reveal only a shred of secrecy, or whether he will spill the "coffee on the table" and reconstruct the Cabinet from A to Z. Or rather, from B to Z, since there is no indication that the head of government is thinking about self-reconstruction. Some commentators believe that just before the swearing in of the new president is not the time for this, others believe that this is precisely the optimal time, because a change in the position of prime minister would divert attention from the movements in the Presidential Palace, would even succeed in pushing an uncomfortable topic for the (ruling) coalition and the Civic Coalition to the background.

Of course, for stakeholders in the health care system - in fact, for everyone, although not always those "everyone" is aware of this - the most important question is: will the reconstruction affect the Ministry of Health?

The fact that the prime minister wanted changes in health began to be talked about even before the government's one-year term was up. Nothing surprising, health ministers are ironclad candidates for replacement, although some have shown surprising resilience. This is no different in the case of Izabela Leszczyna, who, contrary to speculation, lasts. And she should (re)last even now, mainly because the black clouds over the health care system are only growing, and the culmination of the turmoil and discharges not necessarily atmospheric is not expected until autumn. It would be rational to postpone the decision on reconstruction in this ministry until then, so as not to burn a possible successor in advance.

But even if things in health were to go as they have been, and there was no sudden collapse looming on the horizon, it is difficult to find a rationale for reconstruction. It always means that the prime minister sees the potential for better governance (not administration) of the area, that he wants to set tasks and enforce their implementation. That he is open to facing challenges. Donald Tusk doesn't see it, doesn't want to, and isn't - at least in his health. This is a hassle and a burden for the prime minister, pigeonholed into the "no potential" category when it comes to political marketing. Every statement by the head of government shows how much Tusk does not feel or understand the health care system, or even try to pretend otherwise. No candidate for minister, not even the best, most competent one with ready-made solutions, can cope in such a situation (assuming, of course, that such a candidate would be in the running).

There is no reason to change the minister if nothing is going to happen. But that doesn't mean at all that change won't happen. This is politics, after all.