Jarosław Kaczyński refers Patryk Jaki and Mateusz Morawiecki to party ethics committee

In mid-February 2026, the Polish political scene was dominated by reports of a deep loyalty crisis within the largest opposition party. Jarosław Kaczyński, aiming to quell internal conflicts, decided to refer the cases of several prominent activists to the ethics committee. The summons of Mateusz Morawiecki and Patryk Jaki generated the most emotion. The former, serving as the party's vice-president, has long been under fire from the so-called hardline faction of the party, which blames him for campaign mistakes and too conciliatory a policy towards EU institutions during his tenure as prime minister. Meanwhile, Patryk Jaki, an MEP and leader of Sovereign Poland, angered the president with sharp statements undermining PiS structures. The dispute within Law and Justice intensified when politicians began publicly exchanging blows on social media and commentary programs. Jarosław Kaczyński, known for his aversion to airing internal disputes publicly, concluded that further tolerance of insubordination undermines the party's message coherence. Referral to the ethics committee does not necessarily mean immediate removal from the party, but it serves as a clear warning signal. Among those disciplined was also MP Mirosława Stachowiak-Różecka, suggesting that the disciplinary process is broad-based and concerns various intra-party factions. Political commentators point out that the PiS president is trying in this way to cut off speculation about his weakening control over the party and prevent potential fragmentation of the parliamentary club ahead of key elections. The history of Law and Justice already includes cases of removing popular politicians who tried to build their own power centers, examples of which included Ludwik Dorn or politicians who later formed Solidarna Polska in 2011.Parallel to the storm in Law and Justice, significant reshuffles occurred in the ruling camp. Mikołaj Dorożała, serving as Deputy Minister of Climate and Environment, announced his departure from Poland 2050. This is another weakening of Szymon Hołownia's formation in a short time. Although the deputy head of the ministry declared his desire to remain in his substantive position, his decision raised questions about the stability of the coalition and the reasons for personal conflicts within the Third Way. The Dorożała case, combined with earlier controversies surrounding other politicians from this grouping, casts a shadow on Szymon Hołownia's management efficiency. This situation shows that, despite the different nature of their problems, both the opposition and the coalition are currently grappling with strong centrifugal processes that could influence the final shape of the government and opposition in the coming months. „Unity of the party is a paramount value, and public attacks on one's own environment will not be tolerated.” — Jarosław Kaczyński Both the disciplinary action against Morawiecki and Jaki, and Dorożała's resignation from the party ranks, indicate that the Polish political scene is entering a phase of strong polarization, not only inter-party but also intra-group. In Law and Justice, there is a struggle over succession and ideological direction, while in Poland 2050, the durability of structures hastily built before taking power is being tested. The rulings of the PiS party ethics committee will be crucial for the future of Mateusz Morawiecki, whose position as a potential candidate for the highest state offices has thus been publicly undermined by the party president himself.