A serious internal conflict has erupted in the largest Polish opposition party, "Prawo i Sprawiedliwość" (PiS). The party leader Jarosław Kaczyński stated that about 30 deputies associated with former Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki have resigned from the party. The final decision is to be made by the PiS political committee.
The reason for the conflict was the formation of “Rozwój Plus”, created around Morawiecki. The leadership of PiS believes that the structure could become a separate center of influence within the party and threatens its unity. Morawiecki himself and his supporters claim that it is merely a platform for discussing ideas and developing the right-wing movement.
Tensions escalated after the leadership of PiS demanded that deputies associated with the coalition sign a loyalty declaration. The document was supposed to confirm that they would not participate in the creation of a separate political project outside the party. Otherwise, they were threatened with expulsion procedures from PiS.
Morawiecki odmówił podpisania takiej deklaracji. Oświadczył, że pozostaje członkiem PiS, ale zaoferował rezygnację z pozycji wiceprzewodniczącego partii.
According to Jarosław Kaczyński, the problem lies not only in the unification itself but also in the attempts to create a separate structure within the party
— Około trzydziestu posłów z naszej formacji zrezygnowało z członkostwa. We wtorek odbędzie się posiedzenie komitetu politycznego, które odnotuje ten fakt, — powiedział Kaczyński.
The supporters of the former prime minister had previously claimed that they do not plan to leave the party, but refuse to sign a loyalty declaration
At the same time, the head of PiS emphasized that he does not want to turn the conflict into personal enmity
— Nie chcemy się rozstawać z animozją ani negatywnymi emocjami. To po prostu tak się potoczyły okoliczności, — powiedział.
Kaczyński believes that the activities of Morawiecki's supporters could take place within the existing structures of PiS — for example, within party working groups or internal forums
The Struggle for the Future of PiS
The conflict surrounding «Rozwój Plus» is not only related to a formal declaration of loyalty. After PiS’s defeat in the parliamentary elections, there is a struggle for influence and future leadership within the party.
Mateusz Morawiecki od dawna uważany jest za jednego z możliwych następców Jarosława Kaczyńskiego. Były premier cieszy się wsparciem niektórych posłów i działaczy partyjnych, dlatego jego niezależna struktura polityczna jest postrzegana przez kierownictwo PiS jako potencjalne wyzwanie.
Morawiecki’s surroundings claim that he continues to be supported by around 40 deputies. Supporters of the former Prime Minister also point out that among those who signed Morawiecki’s letter to Kaczyński were deputies who are not formally members of PiS.
If the conflict leads to the final departure of Morawiecki's group, it will become one of the most serious internal crises in PiS in recent years and may affect the balance of power within the Polish right
