Poland's PiS fractures: Kaczyński expels ex-PM Morawiecki and 40 MPs after loyalty pledge refusal

Published Jul 25, 07:24 AM UTC

Poland's right-wing opposition party Law and Justice (PiS) has fractured after a bitter power struggle between party leader Jarosław Kaczyński and former Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki. Morawiecki, along with 40 MPs, was expelled after refusing to sign a loyalty declaration demanded by Kaczyński. The conflict arose over the party's future direction, with Kaczyński backing national-clerical hardliner Przemysław Czarnek as the 2027 prime ministerial candidate, sidelining the more moderate, economically liberal Morawiecki. Morawiecki accused the party leadership of lies, intrigue, and blackmail. The split has weakened PiS, which now polls at 23%, down 12 points from 2023, while radical right parties Konfederacja and Grzegorz Braun's formation collectively approach similar support. Analysts say Kaczyński, 77, no longer controls the party he founded, and the once-dominant 'solar system' around him is collapsing.

Content shown outside its original language is machine translated and condensed.