PiS leadership posture and upcoming elections
Currently, there is no leadership change within the Law and Justice party (PiS). Jarosław Kaczyński remains the party’s chief and is expected to guide PiS into future elections, according to former prime minister and PiS member Beata Szydło in a Radio Zet interview.
The interview also touched on recent remarks by Mateusz Morawiecki, the former prime minister who is also a PiS vice-president, about a potential bid for PiS presidency after Kaczyński steps back from politics.
When asked whether she would seek the presidency herself, Szydło stated clearly that she does not see a leadership transition as now being on the table. She emphasized, 0aMaciej0a that Jarosław Kaczyński remains the boss and will lead the party through the next elections in the coming years.
She added that the party’s immediate priority is the upcoming electoral campaign rather than personnel changes.
IBRiS survey insights
In a survey conducted by IBRiS for Rzeczpospolita, respondents were asked who should succeed Kaczyński if he leaves the helm of PiS. Mateusz Morawiecki received the highest share of nominations as the potential new leader of the main opposition party.
About 14.2 percent favored Morawiecki, while Przemysław Czarnek polled 7.3 percent as the second choice. Mariusz Błaszczak gathered 4.8 percent, Beata Szydło 3.8 percent, and Joachim Brudziński 1.5 percent. A notable 33.9 percent chose someone else, and 34.6 percent said they did not know who should lead PiS next, according to the report.
European Parliament candidacy and Pegasus controversy
Asked whether she would stand as a candidate for the European Parliament, the MEP indicated she was currently pursuing a seat there. On the Pegasus inquiry, she indicated readiness to participate if invited, asserting that she had nothing to conceal and that she did not participate in the purchase of the software.
When asked about a possible run for the presidency in the next year’s elections, Szydło reiterated her status as a candidate for the European Parliament. She also noted potential alignment with Daniel Obajtek, the head of Orlen, should they both secure seats in the European Parliament, implying a possible joint presence if both were elected.
She also remarked that there is no active discussion about PiS’s candidate lists at this moment and that local elections are approaching.
Views on comments from the PiS president and President Duda
In addressing media reports about tension between the PiS president and President Andrzej Duda, Szydło asserted there is no conflict. She stressed that the president has the right to his own opinions while the party continues to pursue its program and policy goals.
The remarks were shared with Radio Zet, and the piece also referenced related commentary highlighting concerns about constitutional matters and the rule of law in Poland.
Source and context notes: remarks attributed to Beata Szydło in Radio Zet coverage and related coverage in wPolityce. Attribution: wPolityce; Radio Zet. The report summarizes positions ahead of local elections and potential shifts in leadership discussions.