Polish opposition leader Przemysław Czarnek was named prime minister candidate by PiS, though polls show majority of Poles oppose the decision.
PiS Announces Czarnek as Prime Minister Candidate
During a Law and Justice convention in Kraków, party leader Jarosław Kaczyński announced Przemysław Czarnek as the candidate for prime minister. Czarnek criticized Poland’s current direction, describing it as a country of “confusion, chaos, and human harm,” while advocating for a “normal Poland” that works, builds, raises children, protects security, and saves lives.
Public Response Overwhelmingly Negative
A United Surveys poll for Wirtualna Polska revealed mostly negative reactions to Czarnek’s nomination. 58.3% of respondents evaluated the decision negatively, with 41% stating “decidedly negatively.” Only 23.7% had positive views, with just 10.6% responding “decidedly positively.”
Support Concentrated Among Party Loyalists
Support for Czarnek’s nomination primarily comes from his party’s voters. 90% of ruling coalition voters assessed the decision negatively, with 71% saying “decidedly negatively.” Positive evaluations dominated only among opposition voters (PiS and Razem), at 60% (43% “decidedly positively”).
Opposition Divides on Nomination
Supporters of the Confederation and Confederation of the Polish Crown evaluated the nomination negatively by 83%. Among other voters, opinions were divided: 34% negative, 27% positive, and 39% neutral. The survey was conducted on March 9, 2026, by United Surveys by IBRiS for Wirtualna Polska using a mixed CATI&CAWI method on 1,000 adult Poles.
Political Analysis
Political commentator Marcin Matczak wrote on Wyborcza.pl that a powerful problem for Tusk and PO emerged 12 years ago, while PiS does not face a similar issue. The survey methodology excluded Confederation voters from the opposition category to separately analyze their views on the candidacy.
