World

PiS splits in Poland: 40 deputies join Morawiecki's dissident camp

Herz — World Desk · 24 July 2026 at 15:02 · 30s summary · 4 min read

The essentials

Poland's main right-wing opposition party, Law and Justice (PiS—Prawo i Sprawiedliwość), officially fractured on July 24, 2026. Party president Jarosław Kaczyński had imposed a loyalty oath on all deputies with a midnight deadline, threatening expulsion for those who refused. Forty deputies, three MEPs, and one senator declined to sign and have joined the dissident camp led by former Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki. PiS's party leadership will meet on July 28 to formally ratify the expulsions. The split weakens a party already in opposition since 2023 and threatens its status as the largest individual opposition group.

PiS fractures on July 24, 2026 after a loyalty oath ultimatum from president Kaczyński
40 deputies, 3 MEPs, and 1 senator rally behind Morawiecki's dissident camp
Party leadership meets July 28, 2026 to formalize expulsions
PiS risks losing its status as largest opposition party in parliament
Next Polish legislative elections scheduled for 2027

What we know

Poland's main right-wing opposition party, Law and Justice (PiS—Prawo i Sprawiedliwość), founded in 2001 by brothers Jarosław and Lech Kaczyński, officially fractured on July 24, 2026. According to The Guardian, party president Jarosław Kaczyński had demanded all deputies sign a loyalty oath by midnight, under pain of expulsion.

Forty deputies, three MEPs, and one senator refused to sign and have joined the dissident group led by former Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki.

The expulsion decision will be formally addressed at the party leadership meeting on Tuesday, July 28, 2026. Rebel parliamentarians acknowledge they could be expelled, but say they never intended to leave the party.

Origins of the crisis

In April 2026, Morawiecki created a think tank focused on economic growth, aiming to broaden PiS's electoral appeal toward the center-right and entrepreneurs. The initiative, which had scheduled its first public event for later in July 2026, drew sharp criticism from Kaczyński.

On July 24, 2026, Morawiecki defended a 'two-lung strategy'—simultaneously mobilizing center-right voters and entrepreneurs—and blamed the crisis on a circle of 'conspirators' around Kaczyński.

Who is Mateusz Morawiecki?

Morawiecki served as Polish Prime Minister from 2017 to 2023. He also leads the ECR (European Conservatives and Reformists—a right-wing to far-right Eurosceptic group founded in 2009 in the European Parliament, encompassing twenty-three parties from sixteen countries), which includes Giorgia Meloni's Fratelli d'Italia.

A former senior banker, he was also chief economic advisor to Donald Tusk before joining Poland's right. His name remains tied to eight years of PiS rule, marked by tensions with the EU and rule-of-law controversies.

Context

PiS governed Poland twice—from 2005 to 2007, then from 2015 to 2023, a total of ten years. It lost the October 15, 2023 legislative elections to a pro-European coalition led by Donald Tusk, yet remained the largest individual party in the Sejm. The split now threatens this status.

For two years, Poland's conservative vote has been fragmented between PiS, the libertarian-right Confederation movement, and the Polish Crown Confederation (far-right nationalist party led by Grzegorz Braun). The next legislative election is scheduled for 2027.