Sejm lifts immunity of former justice minister Zbigniew Ziobro after defamation complaint by Poland's National Prosecutor

The vote

The Sejm lifted Zbigniew Ziobro's immunity in a ballot that drew 436 deputies, with 238 in favour and 198 against; nobody abstained. The motion was backed by the governing coalition of Civic Coalition, PSL, Left, Centrum, Poland 2050 and Razem, along with four unaffiliated MPs and one from the Democracy party. Opposition came from Law and Justice, Confederation, Confederation of the Polish Crown, two independents and two Direct Democracy members.

What Ziobro said

The case stems from a remote appearance by Ziobro at a PiS press conference in December 2025, broadcast from Hungary. Korneluk's lawyer, Janusz Kaczmarek, told the Sejm that Ziobro defamed and insulted the National Prosecutor by claiming he was appointed to subordinate the prosecutor's office to the ruling party and to cover up "thefts and corruption, of which there were many around Donald Tusk". Ziobro also called Korneluk a "party activist".

“Calling him a party activist constitutes a combination of offences defined in the penal code as defamation and insult.”

Kaczmarek noted that Korneluk has worked in the prosecutor's office since 1993 and held a range of roles since 2000, adding that no previous justice minister had ever questioned his diligence, thoroughness or professionalism.

The National Prosecutor dispute

The conflict over who holds the post of National Prosecutor began in January 2024 when then justice minister and prosecutor general Adam Bodnar declared that Ziobro's 2022 appointment of Dariusz Barski was made in breach of applicable regulations. The prime minister then named Jacek Bilewicz as acting National Prosecutor; Dariusz Korneluk won the subsequent competition and was appointed by the prime minister in mid-March 2024.

Korneluk filed his private indictment at the end of March. He is seeking a one-year prison sentence suspended for three years, a public apology and a 30,000 złoty payment to the charity WOŚP.

Committee recommendation

Before the plenary vote, the parliamentary regulations and immunity committee recommended accepting the motion. Spokesman Tomasz Głogowski said most committee members considered Ziobro's remarks "very specific and brutal accusations".

“One cannot attack and accuse the National Prosecutor without basis.”

PiS MP Kazimierz Smoliński argued during committee proceedings that the status of Korneluk was disputed and that Barski's removal had been unlawful.

Ziobro's response

On the morning of the vote, Ziobro published a post on X refusing to back down. He called Korneluk a "usurper" illegally occupying the National Prosecutor's office and described his own December remarks as "exceedingly subtle".

“Calling prosecutor Korneluk a 'party activist' is excessive courtesy. In reality he is a full member of an organised criminal group that illegally seized control of the National Prosecutor's Office.”