Poland’s Law and Justice party, the country’s largest opposition force, experienced a significant internal rupture following a factional disagreement over party direction. Party leader Jarosław Kaczyński issued a loyalty oath requirement to all members of parliament, stipulating that those who refused would be considered to have resigned from the organization. Dozens of legislators declined to sign the pledge, and Kaczyński declared their positions effectively vacated, with formal processing of expulsions scheduled for the following Tuesday.
Former Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, who led the government between 2017 and 2023, led the breakaway faction. Morawiecki had recently established a growth-oriented policy group intended to broaden the party’s electoral appeal toward centre-right voters and entrepreneurs. This initiative drew criticism from Kaczyński and his allies, who questioned the former premier’s commitment to the party amid perceptions that he favored a different strategic direction. Morawiecki’s splinter group comprises 40 members of parliament, three European parliament members, and one senator.
The dispute emerged against the backdrop of declining influence for Law and Justice on the Polish political right. The party has contended with competition from the libertarian-right Confederation and the far-right Confederation of the Polish Crown, fragmenting the conservative electorate across multiple groups. Morawiecki advocated for a “strategy of two lungs” to attract younger voters and business-oriented constituencies, which he characterized as essential for electoral success heading toward parliamentary elections scheduled for October 2027.
Morawiecki criticized what he termed a circle of “plotters” surrounding Kaczyński for precipitating the party crisis. While declining to confirm whether his faction would establish a separate political party, he called on party leadership to reconsider their approach. Polling data suggested that a new party led by Morawiecki could potentially capture approximately six percent of the vote, likely further distributing support across Poland’s rightist political spectrum.
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