PiS names Przemysław Czarnek as its prime minister candidate to reclaim voters lost to the far-right Confederation.
PiS and Czarnek Have a Concrete Goal
During Saturday’s PiS convention in Krakow, party leader Jarosław Kaczyński designated Vice President and former Education Minister Przemysław Czarnek as the candidate for prime minister in upcoming parliamentary elections.
According to political scientist Olgierd Annusewicz in a PAP interview, PiS’s current priority is to regain voters who defected to the Confederation and the Polish Crown Confederation led by Grzegorz Braun. He noted these voters are not shifting to governing coalition parties in polls.
Czarnek Rivals the Confederation
Annusewicz assessed that Czarnek, with his rhetoric and activity, can compete against figures like Braun and Krzysztof Bosak in targeting Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s coalition. He called Czarnek an “excellent candidate” given PiS’s current polling position, emphasizing his political experience and legal background.
First Secure the Right, Then Target the Center
The analyst argued that instead of a centrist figure, PiS currently needs a candidate appealing to the right. To gain center-ground voters, PiS must first reclaim its position on the right flank, making Czarnek “an ideal figure” for this phase, regardless of his ministerial past.
While Czarnek’s aggressive style alienates moderate voters, his distinctiveness appeals to right-wing and radical voters. Annusewicz suggested a possible future “softening” of Czarnek’s rhetoric to attract centrist voters after securing the right flank.
PiS Seeks Hegemony in Coalitions
Regarding coalition prospects, Annusewicz noted PiS would benefit more from negotiating from a position of hegemony on the right rather than as one of three major blocs. This allows stronger leverage in potential future negotiations.