Born 22 April 1957 in Gdańsk. Graduated from the Humanities' Faculty of the Gdańsk University, where he read history. At the University, he participated in creation of the Students' Committee of Solidarity, which was established as a reaction to Stanisław Pyjas' murder in the hands of the Security Service (SB). Co-operated with the Free Trade Unions of the Coastal Region (Wolne Związki Zawodowe Wybrzeża), organising self-study groups and publishing press and literature outside official censorship. He was also a co-founder of the Independent Students' Union (Niezależne Zrzeszenie Studentów) in Gdańsk, head of the Solidarity movement in the Maritime Publishing House (Wydawnictwo Morskie) and a journalist in the Solidarity weekly, "Samorządność" (Selfgovernance). He had been working for 7 years as a worker in the "Świetlik" co-operative.

He was one of the founders of the Liberal and Democratic Congress (Kongres Liberalno-Demokratyczny - KLD). In April 1994 he became one of the deputy chairmen of the Freedom Union (Unia Wolności-UW), created by amalgamation of the KLD and the Democratic Union (Unia Demokratyczna). In the elections of 1997 he became a senator representing the UW. He became Deputy Speaker of the Senate of the 4th term. He was also Deputy Speaker of the Sejm of the 4th term in 2001-2005. Member of Parliament (the Sejm) of the 1st, 4th, 5th and 6th term. Chairman of the Civic Platform (Platforma Obywatelska) since April 2003.

Married, has two children: Kasia and Michał.

On 09 November 2007, President of the Republic of Poland Lech Kaczyński nominated Donald Tusk for the post of the prime minister.