Open Factional Tensions Plague Main Opposition Party Ahead Of Regional Elections

Several senior officials from the conservative camp centred around the main opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party publicly traded barbs, which was seemingly triggered by a report circulated in local media, suggesting that former Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki was considering founding a new centre-right party after the upcoming European elections. The reports also mentioned that Morawiecki might invite President Andrzej Duda to join the project, although the rumours were quickly played down.

• Morawiecki and Duda are often associated with a relatively moderate faction within the conservative camp, as opposed to PiS establishment and to the hardliners led by PiS allies from the Sovereign Poland (SP) party. Factional rhetorical struggles intensified as SP MEP Patryk Jaki in strong words accused Morawiecki and Duda of showing weakness in relations with the EU last week.
• Tensions between senior members of the PiS-centred political camp have been simmering since their defeat in the October 15 parliamentary elections, which inspired an ongoing blame game between leaders of different factions. Internal instability pushed party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski to change his decision to retire in 2025 and pledge to stay on for the foreseeable future. Continued instability bodes ill for the party's performance in next month's local and regional elections.