Former Polish Prime Minister Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz is finally free from alimony payments after a 10-year legal battle with his ex-wife Izabela Olchowicz.
How Much Did the Divorce Cost? Shocking Calculations from the Former Prime Minister
Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz, Poland’s Prime Minister from 2005-2006, received more media attention for his conflict with his second wife, Izabela Olchowicz, than for his professional achievements. In 2009, the politician decided to divorce his wife of 27 years, Maria Marcinkiewicz, and later that year married Izabela Olchowicz, a relatively unknown poet from Brwinow. Five years later, his wife was involved in a car accident and partially lost her ability to work. When their relationship ended, facing financial difficulties, the woman decided to sue for alimony from her ex-husband. The court ruled that Marcinkiewicz had to pay his ex-wife 4,500 zł monthly. The media detailed the politician’s calculations, claiming he had spent 312,000 zł on Olchowicz during two years of separation and 566,500 zł in alimony over 10 years.
End of Marcinkiewicz’s High-Profile Battle with Ex-Wife: Court Issues Final Verdict
In 2025, the court ruled that Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz no longer needed to pay alimony to his ex-wife, Izabela Olchowicz. The verdict was not final at that time, so the poet from Brwinow appealed. However, the Warsaw Court of Appeal upheld the decision, allowing the former prime minister to finally breathe a sigh of relief after 10 years of “fighting.” Why did he have to pay alimony to his ex-wife after divorce for so many years? Polish law enables this obligation.
Alimony for Ex-Wife: When Polish Law Mandates Payment After Divorce?
In Poland, a former husband may be required to pay alimony to his ex-wife under specific circumstances. Importantly, even a prenuptial agreement does not fully protect him from this obligation. Polish law provides two main scenarios in which a former spouse can claim such support.
Financial Hardship or Reduced Standard of Living? Two Alimony Scenarios
The first case applies when the divorce was due to the husband’s sole fault, and the breakdown of the marriage significantly worsened the ex-wife’s standard of living. Importantly, she doesn’t even need to be in financial hardship—it’s sufficient that her financial situation has deteriorated. The amount of support should meet the former wife’s needs and the financial capabilities of the obligated party.
The second scenario covers divorces without assigning fault or with fault on both spouses. In this case, the ex-wife who is in financial hardship can claim alimony, regardless of whether the cause is related to the breakup of the relationship. Even individuals with their own income can receive support if the divorce lowered their standard of living.
When Does the Alimony Obligation to a Wife End? Key Timeframes
The alimony obligation is not lifelong, though it can be burdensome. In cases related to deteriorating living conditions, the support typically continues until the ex-wife remarries. In other cases, the period is a maximum of five years from the divorce, although courts can extend it in exceptional circumstances. On the other hand, improvement or deterioration of either party’s financial situation may result in appropriate changes to the alimony amount.
The situation is particularly “problematic” when the husband is deemed solely responsible for the breakdown of the marriage. In such cases, the court may order alimony regardless of the former wife’s ability to work or independent income. In the case of alimony due to financial hardship, the court considers whether the ex-wife is utilizing her earning potential before granting the benefit.
