EU Reelects Tusk as President

FILE - European Council President Donald Tusk, in Brussels, Belgium, Feb. 27, 2017.

European Union leaders on Thursday voted overwhelmingly to re-elect Donald Tusk president of the bloc.

Tusk’s home country of Poland was the only one of the 28 member states to vote against his reappointment.

Following the vote, Beata Mazurek, a spokeswoman for Poland’s ruling Law and Justice Party, questioned the unity of the EU in light of Tusk’s re-election.

Poland had earlier threatened to derail the EU summit if the vote went through as planned, though that didn’t happen.

Following his re-election, Tusk said on Twitter he hoped to “make the EU better,” despite Poland’s opposition.

"Grateful for trust & positive assessment by #EUCO [European Council]. I will do my best to make the EU better," he said via social media.

Tusk’s new term will run from May until November 2019. EU leaders were also expected to discuss other issues related to the economy and defense Thursday.

On Friday they begin preparations for a summit in Rome later this month to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the EU’s founding treaty.