Polish opposition PiS expels over 30 members as Morawiecki split deepens
Jarosław Kaczyński, leader of the Law and Justice party (PiS), issued an ultimatum demanding that all parliamentarians linked to former prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki’s “Rozwój Plus” association sign loyalty declarations by midnight. Around three dozen deputies, senators and MEPs refused, prompting the party to move to exclude them.
Morawiecki was formally expelled from PiS and consequently lost his chairmanship of the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) Party, with Carlo Fidanza named interim president. The split has crystallised into two factions: the “Harcerze” supporting Morawiecki’s liberal‑economic stance, and the “Maślarze” backing Kaczyński’s hard‑right line.
Internal polls suggest a new Morawiecki‑led party would attract only 2‑6 % of the vote, far below the 5 % threshold, potentially eroding PiS’s support ahead of the 2027 parliamentary election. The crisis threatens the cohesion of Poland’s largest opposition force and could reshape the contest for power in the next election.