Jarosław Kaczyński Takes Radical Steps to Control Internal Conflict in Law and Justice

The situation within Law and Justice has reached a critical point, forcing Jarosław Kaczyński to abandon the role of a passive arbiter in favor of a decisive leader applying party discipline. The direct impulse for the tougher course has been public exchanges of previously concealed animosities between different factions of the united right-wing camp. The strongest warning signal sent to the party's grassroots and opinion leaders is the referral of the cases of Patryk Jaki and Mateusz Morawiecki to the ethics commission. This gesture is meant to cut off speculation about the impunity of media attacks within their own political environment. Parallel to the disciplinary actions, the party leadership is preparing for a key event in the political calendar. March 7 has been set as the date for the official presentation of the candidate for prime minister. This decision is seen as an attempt to escape forward and impose a new narrative that would cover up reports of succession battles after the current chairman. New names are appearing on the list of potential candidates, suggesting the grouping is seeking a fresh start capable of remobilizing the electorate ahead of upcoming electoral clashes. Experts point out, however, that a personnel offensive may not be enough if the structures remain in a state of crisis. The history of the Polish right after 1989 has repeatedly shown that internal divisions in conservative formations, such as AWS or PC, led to a prolonged loss of power and parliamentary marginalization.Kaczyński's strategy is based on the conviction that the only remedy for the crisis is full unity, as he has repeatedly mentioned in recent public appearances. At the same time, media reports mention concerns related to transatlantic relations, suggesting that the party has overly relied on cooperation with a specific political center in the USA, which, given the dynamic situation in Washington, is becoming risky.