Polish PM to resign when country joins EU

Beleaguered Polish Prime Minister Leszek Miller announced tonight that he will resign on May 2 – the day after the country joins the European Union.

He cited his government’s dismal approval ratings.

Miller returned from an EU summit in Brussels and immediately met President Aleksander Kwasniewski to discuss the political future.

The premier’s popularity has slumped in the face of high unemployment and his drive for spending cuts before Poland joins the EU.

Earlier, parliament speaker Marek Borowski, 21 other MPs and five senators defected from the Democratic Left Alliance and calling for early elections.

“A change of prime minister and a government reconstruction are necessary,” he said.