Poland's president has accepted the resignation of the government of prime minister Donald Tusk, bringing an end to seven years of governance that have been marked by unprecedented political stability in the country.

Mr Tusk resigned after being picked recently as the next president of the European Council, a role that will make him a major representative for the European Union.

President Bronislaw Komorowski presided over a ceremony today in the presidential palace in Warsaw to mark the departure of Tusk and his ministers.

Mr Tusk is to be succeeded by Ewa Kopacz, the 57-year-old parliament speaker and a former paediatrician and health minister.

She is a member of Tusk's pro-market Civic Platform party.

It is not yet clear if key ministers, including foreign minister Radek Sikorski, will continue under Ms Kopacz.

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