Over 30 Polish Lawmakers Resign from PiS Party Amid Internal Dispute

A significant faction within Poland's ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party has resigned, with over 30 lawmakers leaving the party. Party leader Jarosław Kaczyński announced that the Political Committee will formally acknowledge these departures at its upcoming session.

Kaczyński explained that the resignations stem from a proposal made weeks prior to divide the party. He indicated that the association in question was viewed as an element of this division plan. "In this situation, we could not view the association as anything other than an element of this plan, a plan to divide the party," Kaczyński stated.

He elaborated that the decision to leave was a consequence of lawmakers' refusal to sign a declaration affirming their non-participation in such a divisive endeavor. "Everyone knew what signing meant and what disagreement with signing meant," Kaczyński added, dismissing alternative explanations as irrelevant.

The conflict intensified after the PiS Political Committee issued an ultimatum on July 15, demanding that all party parliamentarians cease their involvement with the association "Rozwój Plus," founded by former Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, under threat of expulsion. The deadline for compliance passed on July 23-24, leading to the current wave of resignations.