Morawiecki Announces Resignation as ECR Chief, Citing Honor After PiS Ultimatum

Mateusz Morawiecki announced on Monday evening that he intends to resign as head of the ECR party, stating it is honorable to step down as his delegation will no longer be the second largest.

ECR Leadership and Resignation Plans

Morawiecki announced his resignation from the position of ECR party head on Monday evening during an interview with Kanał Zero. He stated that he intends to resign from the party very soon, unless asked to continue, in which case he will consider what to do next.

He explained that the role of ECR party chairman was assigned to the second-largest party within the ECR, which is PiS. Referring to his newly established association, Rozwój Plus, he noted that his delegation will not be the second largest, and therefore it is worth acting honorably in such situations.

PiS Ultimatum and Exits

Last Thursday at midnight, the deadline expired for an ultimatum set by the PiS leadership for the party’s parliamentarians to declare non-membership in associations conducting political activities, under threat of expulsion. The issue primarily concerned Morawiecki’s Rozwój Plus association. On Friday, PiS leader Jarosław Kaczyński stated that a group of party politicians had resigned from membership, knowing the consequences of not signing. On Tuesday at 5:00 PM, the PiS Political Committee is set to approve the decisions.

Following the Friday statement by the PiS leader, Morawiecki informed that his circle includes 40 MPs, a senator, and three MEPs. One MP, Grzegorz Lorek, decided to sign the loyalty pledge on Monday. Politicians associated with Morawiecki emphasized that they did not resign from PiS membership, and the statement did not apply to party affiliation. Morawiecki and his supporters also claimed that “intriguers” wanted to push them out of PiS.

Meloni’s Nomination and ECR Profile

Morawiecki was elected head of the ECR party by acclamation at the beginning of last year, with his candidacy nominated by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

The ECR is a right-wing European political party whose members include the Civic Democratic Party of the Czech Republic and the Sweden Democrats, with the US Republicans serving as a partner party.