Prime Minister Leszek Miller won a confidence vote in parliament Friday, boosting his chances to lead Poland - a U.S. ally in Iraq

Prime Minister Leszek Miller won a confidence vote in parliament Friday, boosting his chances to lead Poland - a U.S. ally in Iraq - into the European Union next year. Poland's domestic shakiness stemming from an economic slump and corruption scandals has contrasted with its self-confident role in the U.S.-led Iraq war. Poland's special forces helped secure Iraqi oil fields. Its military, part of the NATO alliance since 1999, has been tapped to command a sector of postwar Iraq. Miller called the ballot in a bid to end speculation that his 20-month administration is too weak to push through needed reforms and to show he can act decisively at home as well as abroad. On Sunday, the Poles voted overwhelmingly to join the EU.The lower chamber, or Sejm, backed the minority government of reformed communists by an unexpectedly wide margin of 236-213 votes. Miller's domestic problems also include disputes over selling off state-held companies and unemployment at post-communist highs of about 19 percent. His approval ratings this year have hit the lowest levels in post-communist Poland, hurt by doubts over whether he could turn the country around.