PiS economic convention in Katowice: Kaczyński promises return to 2015-2023 policy

A convention on returning to 2015-2023 policy

The Law and Justice (PiS) party held its economic convention in Katowice on Saturday, 14 November, under the slogan 'Ambitious Economy: We Can Do It'. Party leader Jarosław Kaczyński, a former prime minister, used his opening speech to call for a return to the course the party followed between 2015 and 2023, when economic and social policy were closely linked. Beata Szydło, a PiS vice-president who previously served as prime minister and sits as an MEP, and Przemysław Czarnek, another vice-president, spoke at the event. Marcin Ociepa, vice-chair of the party's parliamentary club, and Prof. Mariusz Andrzejewski also took part. Kaczyński said the party's concept was offensive rather than defensive, and that Poland had to be pulled out of its present financial difficulties.

Debt, centralisation and little time

Kaczyński said the government had raised public debt within only a few years by an amount nearly matching the total debt built up over the previous 30 years. He asked whether anything similar had happened in other economies, and argued that in normally functioning states, unlike Latin American countries that keep going bankrupt, nothing of the kind had occurred. He attributed the situation either to a lack of competence and disorder or to a deliberate plan to force Europe into unity as a centralised state, with the decision-making centre and the directing hub outside Poland. He warned that Poland had little time, and said that everything becomes possible after a new political situation, an election win and the creation of an effective government.

Social benefits, state companies and loan eligibility

Kaczyński said some people want to cut social spending or reduce social policy almost to zero. He cited a warning from KNF, Poland's financial supervisory authority, that from 1 November income from social benefits, led by 800+, should not be counted by banks when they assess how much a person can borrow. He presented this as a sign that Poland would retreat from social support, and argued that cutting consumer demand would hurt the whole economy. On state-owned companies, he said there would be no handing out of posts on their boards and supervisory boards, that legal solutions were being prepared to end the practice, and that nepotism had to be curbed.

Beata Szydło on people and the 500+ programme

Szydło said the economy is about people, naming mothers and fathers, young and old, students, farmers, entrepreneurs and miners. Recalling 2015, when PiS took power, she said many people she met then complained of extreme poverty and a lack of money for basic needs. She credited the lowering of the retirement age and the 500+ and 800+ programmes with changing that picture, and suggested comparing economic growth in the year after 500+ began. She said Poles again share fears similar to those of 2015, with rising bills for electricity, shops and petrol, worries about losing jobs and the cost of healthcare.

“Now as many as 6 percent of society needs to be lifted out of poverty.”

Szydło said she knew how to address those fears, pointing to 2015 and saying the party had already done it.

Defending the Polish wallet

Kaczyński said the party would move to a political and economic offensive centred on citizens' living standards. He said savings were planned but not in the social sphere, and that the aim was an ordinary Polish family whose situation must keep improving.

“Poles have a sense of dignity. They do not want to be junior partners!”

The party leader added that the Polish wallet must be defended and that its concept was offensive, not defensive.

“We must defend the Polish wallet. It cannot become thinner and thinner.”