The liberal Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has unexpectedly declared he will not run in the presidential elections of 2010.

The liberal daily Gazeta Wyborcza sees this as a sign that the office of head of government will become more important: His decision “holds out the opportunity to bring the state structures in order and create a chancellor system.

… When Tusk, who was a fail-safe candidate for the office of president, opts among two possible offices for that of prime minister, this sends an important political signal: the office of prime minister is more important.

Then Poland can be changed from the building in the Aleje Ujazdowskie [the seat of government] rather than from the presidential palace (even if the president can still do serious harm to the prime minister).

This is the reality. But in the eyes of the voters and politicians the office of president has always represented the peak of a political career.”