Over half of Poles say Tusk government failed to deliver on PiS accountability promises, poll shows

Poll results

The SW Research poll, conducted online on 14–15 July 2026 among 800 adult internet users, asked whether the government of Donald Tusk had met expectations regarding accountability for the 2015–2023 Law and Justice (PiS) administration. A clear majority, 53.3%, answered “no”. Only 14.6% said “yes”. Another 19.2% stated they had not expected such accountability in the first place, and 12.9% had no opinion.

Tusk’s apology in Paris

On 14 July, during a visit to Paris for a Coalition of the Willing leaders’ meeting and Bastille Day celebrations, Tusk publicly apologised for his earlier promises of rapid accountability. He cited the failed attempt to secure a European Arrest Warrant for former justice minister Zbigniew Ziobro, a suspect in the Justice Fund investigation.

I should have had more imagination when I promised swift accountability. I did not foresee that it would be so difficult, partly because of the situation in the prosecutor’s office.

Tusk had already tempered expectations in October 2025, telling TVP Info that he would not conduct a “witch hunt, although the witches are a fact”, and that PiS politicians had “shamelessly robbed Poland” but often did so “in a very cunning way, as minister Marcin Horała used to say: ‘in accordance with procedures’.”

The coalition’s original pledge

The commitment to hold the previous government to account was enshrined in the coalition agreement signed on 10 November 2023 by Civic Coalition, New Left, Polish People’s Party and Poland 2050. The document stated that “without settling the pathologies and crimes of the previous government, there is not and will not be a just and law‑abiding Poland.” It promised to bring to constitutional responsibility those who violated the constitution, broke the rule of law, and misused public funds.

What has been achieved so far

Nearly three years later, the only final conviction of a senior PiS‑era official is the case of Mariusz Kamiński and Maciej Wąsik, sentenced to prison over the so‑called land affair – a provocation against former deputy prime minister Andrzej Lepper during the 2005–2007 PiS government. Both were later pardoned by President Andrzej Duda and went on to win seats in the European Parliament in June 2024.

Prosecutors have charged former prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki over the “envelope elections” and former deputy justice minister Michał Woś over the purchase of Pegasus spyware with Justice Fund money. However, Ziobro and former deputy minister Marcin Romanowski fled Poland, obtained asylum in Viktor Orbán’s Hungary, and later left that country – Ziobro is now in the United States – preventing prosecutors from presenting charges.

Who is most critical

The dissatisfaction cuts across demographic groups but is sharpest among certain segments. Men (56%) were slightly more critical than women (51%). Among those with higher education, 59% said the government had not met their expectations, as did 58% of respondents earning over 7,000 zł net per month. The most critical group was residents of medium‑sized cities (200,000–499,000 inhabitants), where 72% expressed dissatisfaction.

Men (56%) are slightly more likely than women (51%) to consider the consequences drawn against the previous government insufficient. Six in ten respondents with higher education (59%) and nearly the same share of those earning over 7,000 zł net (58%) expected more effective accountability.