So where does the new administration go from here? Provided that external conditions remain favourable, things could still turn out well, with the government settling in and controversy dying down. But there are dangers. One is Law and Justice's insatiable appetite for a scrap, which might lead to a serious conflict with the European Union, or a jealous putsch against Mr Marcinkiewicz. Another danger is that the government's remarkable lack of co-ordination might get in the way of reform. A few weeks ago Mr Olex-Szczytowski and his colleagues at the defence ministry were surprised to hear Mr Marcinkiewicz announce the abolition of the military property agency on television. That plan, drafted by a junior official, had reached the prime minister's desk without brushing reality. No sooner was the plan announced than it was forgotten.
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