A major directional split has unfolded within the Polish opposition party PiS, leading to the defection of over 30 deputies. The precise number of lawmakers leaving the party has not yet been confirmed, according to party chief Jaroslaw Kaczynski, who announced the situation on Friday. Kaczynski initially maintained that he could not confirm whether former government leader Mateusz Morawiecki was among those departing.
The conflict centers on the future strategy and direction of the party. Kaczynski’s nomination of the right-wing hardliner Przemyslaw Czarnek as a candidate for prime minister in the 2027 parliamentary elections drew significant opposition. Morawiecki, who views himself as an economically liberal deputy party leader, felt alienated by this decision. As a result, he, along with other moderate PiS representatives, established the group “Rozwój Plus” (Development Plus). This group intends to steer PiS back toward being a prominent center-right party.
Kaczynski issued an ultimatum, demanding the dissolution of the breakaway group and a declaration of solidarity from all its members, but the attempt proved unsuccessful. Morawiecki refused to accept the ultimatum. PiS, which governed Poland from 2015 to 2023, is now dealing with one of its most severe internal crises, a situation that could jeopardize its efforts to regain power following the defeat in the 2023 parliamentary elections.
