Poland's president continues talks with the head of the main opposition party of the country

Poland's president continued coalition talks Friday with the leader of the largest opposition party Friday in an attempt to broaden the minority government's support and avoid a possible early election. President Lech Kaczynski met with Civic Platform leader Donald Tusk after a long evening of talks Thursday night ended without apparent agreement. After their meeting Thursday, Tusk signaled that he remains open to a compromise in the standoff between the governing Law and Justice party and his pro-business Civic Platform.

Tusk said he is "ready" to entertain a presidential proposition for "a wise agreement between Platform and Law and Justice." The two parties have bickered since last September's parliamentary elections. Law and Justice, which finished first in the election but fell short of a majority of seats, formed a minority government in

November after coalition talks between the two parties collapsed. The government's weakness, after not even 90 days in office, became apparent during the rejection of the government's favored version of a bill to increase benefits to young mothers, and in heated disputes over the 2006 budget, which is pending approval.

Law and Justice leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski the president's identical twin brother has been canvassing the political spectrum in search of coalition partners to support Prime Minister Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz's government. At the same time, he has threatened early elections should that fail.

The president could call early balloting if parliament cannot pass a 2006 budget in due time, reports the AP.

D.M.