The Law and Justice Electoral Commission has submitted a complaint to the Court of Appeal in Warsaw regarding yesterday’s district court decision about unemployment reaching 15 percent during the tenure of Prime Minister Donald Tusk, announced by PiS Secretary General Krzysztof Sobolewski on Friday.
On August 24, the Warsaw court ordered a halt to spreading false information in a PiS advertisement asserting that unemployment rose to 15 percent under the PO-PSL administration. The decision did not require the ruling party to issue any further disclaimer about the claim.
Questionable recording
The controversy centers on a commercial published by Law and Justice on social media. Critics argued that the message claimed former Prime Minister and PO leader Donald Tusk does not deserve another chance.
Reflection on the past under Tusk is cited by some observers who recount job losses tied to a 15 percent unemployment rate, the raise in the retirement age for women from 60 to 67, votes against extending support to Polish families, and concerns about Poland’s defense posture and relations with neighboring powers.
The message highlighted supposed heroes of the ad and what it sought to portray about the period in question.
As Sobolewski stated on Friday via Twitter, the Electoral Commission for Law and Justice has filed a complaint with the Warsaw Court of Appeal about yesterday’s district court ruling on unemployment at 15 percent under Tusk’s administration.
The party argued that the fine should be appealed because most of the ruling remains intact and there is no obligation to publish a correction.
— emphasized the party official.
One political figure noted that the label tied to Tusk is associated with high unemployment during that era.
The electoral process
Jan Grabiec, spokesperson for the PO, asked about the filing in relation to the campaign’s approach to the election process.
PiS is expected to address the 15 percent unemployment claim, arguing that the issue involves a period of Tusk’s leadership and that other periods saw differing figures. Grabiec stressed that the campaign should be precise about the historical context.
Following the PO’s remarks, a post regarding the matter appeared on the Law and Justice profile on social media.
Observers noted that a closer examination was warranted and a correction was necessary: unemployment under Tusk was approximately 14.4 percent in February 2013, meaning around 2.3 million Poles were unemployed at that time, rather than a national 15 percent figure. It was also mentioned that unemployment varied by region, with much higher rates in some areas at that time. The broader economic situation then showed changes in later years, including regional differences across the country.
The discussion reminded readers that unemployment rates fluctuated and that context matters when discussing historical economic indicators.
As a reminder, unemployment fell to about 5 percent under PiS governance in recent years.
— added.
Additionally, readers were directed to related commentary about social policy during the PO-PSL government and the campaign’s messaging on unemployment during Tusk’s tenure.
The discourse included remarks that opposition campaigns have questioned data interpretation and that supporters framed the narrative around the challenges faced during different administrations.
Public conversations continued across outlets and social platforms as users debated the accuracy and impact of the claims.
Source notes and captioning in coverage reflected a mix of viewpoints and republication from various outlets and social channels.