Poland’s crucial local elections will be held in April, newly appointed prime minister says

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland’s new Prime Minister Donald Tusk said crucial elections to choose city mayors and provincial and county administration leaders would be held April 7, with a runoff April 21. The elections, announced Monday, will test the new pro-European Union coalition government’s popular support, just six months after it won parliamentary elections. Tusk and his Cabinet took office last month, vowing to restore the importance and powers of city mayors and local governments which the previous right-wing government sought to limit. Local administrations suffered slashed funding and stalled projects and investments. Tensions between the new government and the previously ruling Law and Justice party have escalated with the latter blocking proposed bills in parliament.