PiS Leadership Refrains from Expelling Morawiecki, Refers 44 MPs to Disciplinary Officer

During a Tuesday press conference, PiS spokesperson Rafał Bochenek announced that the party’s Political Committee approved a list of 44 MPs who failed to sign loyalty declarations, referring their cases to the disciplinary officer.

Disciplinary Proceedings for 44 MPs

PiS spokesperson Rafał Bochenek stated during a Tuesday press conference that the PiS Political Committee approved a list of MPs who did not sign the loyalty pledge, totaling 44 politicians. He added that not all belong to Mateusz Morawiecki’s association, noting some filled out the wrong form, though he declined to name them.

The committee is directing the matter to the party disciplinary officer as stipulated by the statute, concluding the committee’s role, Bochenek informed. He specified that the officer can punish such individuals with a reprimand, admonition, expulsion from PiS, or by referring the case to the party court.

Bochenek added that it is a matter of a couple of weeks and emphasized that every case is individual. He did not directly answer whether every such person will be removed from the party, stressing that from a formal and legal standpoint, Mateusz Morawiecki is not expelled from the party.

Earlier Preparations and Statutory Interpretations

Before the PiS Political Committee meeting, PAP reported from sources close to the party that the approval of the expulsion of parliamentarians belonging to Mateusz Morawiecki’s association would take place via voting and the adoption of a resolution. Karol Karski, a member of the Political Committee, stated the resolution was to determine whether, according to the statute, the membership of each PiS politician still exists within Law and Justice or has already expired by force of the statute.

A PiS politician belonging to the Political Committee, when asked by PAP whether members of the association would appear at Tuesday’s meeting, replied that if they came, they would have to leave the proceedings after a resolution regarding them was adopted.

Split in PiS and Parliamentary Plans

Morawiecki previously announced that if members of the association are expelled from PiS, they will form a parliamentary club. The former prime minister reported that his circle includes 40 MPs, a senator, and three MEPs. On Monday, however, Grzegorz Lorek left Morawiecki’s association and signed the declaration required by the PiS leadership. Earlier, MEP Daniel Obajtek also signed the declaration to remain in PiS and left the Rozwój Plus association as one of the first, before the ultimatum deadline. On X, Obajtek noted his decision does not mean support for Morawiecki’s expulsion from the party.

A parliamentary club can be formed by at least 15 MPs. Ryszard Terlecki stated in a column for “Kurier Krakowski” that a new party referring to the traditional PiS program might also be established. On Monday evening, Morawiecki announced that after the PiS Political Committee meeting at 8:00 PM, a meeting of the Rozwój Plus association would take place.

Ultimatum and Differing Stances

Last Thursday at midnight marked the expiration of the ultimatum set by the PiS leadership for party parliamentarians to submit declarations confirming they do not belong to associations conducting political activities, under threat of expulsion from the party. On Friday, PiS President Jarosław Kaczyński stated that a group of party politicians resigned from membership knowing the consequences of not signing.

Politicians associated with Morawiecki stress that they have not resigned from PiS membership and that the statement did not concern party affiliation. Morawiecki and his supporters claim that “intriguers” want to “push” them out of PiS.

The PiS Political Committee consists of over 50 party members, including PiS vice-presidents such as Morawiecki. The committee also includes some members of the Rozwój Plus association: Ryszard Terlecki, Krzysztof Lipiec, and Marzena Machałek. Last week, when asked if he would attend Tuesday’s Political Committee meeting, Morawiecki replied that he had not planned it and had not received an invitation yet.