The current elections center on Poland’s trajectory: whether the nation will stay strong, independent, and self-governing as shaped today by the governing party, or drift toward a different model with broader external influence, stated Marlena Maląg, the minister in charge of Family Affairs and Social Policy, during a Sunday meeting in Ostrów Wielkopolski.
“We are beginning an extraordinary journey for our nation’s future”
The head of the family department, Marlena Maląg, held a discussion with residents of Ostrów Wielkopolski on Sunday.
“We are starting an extraordinary journey for the future of our country. Our aim is to discuss plans for a strong and prosperous future. People will decide the direction Poland should take and how it should develop,” she remarked.
She recalled that the 2015 election program of the ruling party was not drafted behind closed doors but emerged from conversations with Polish citizens. She pledged that this time the process would be similar, with the goal of building a robust Poland.
She emphasized that Poland should be modern, autonomous, and grounded in a solid foundation—namely families.
“More than PLN 240 billion already allocated to Polish families”
Maląg acknowledged that the past two years brought significant challenges for the government and the country, attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine. Yet the minister noted that the governing party did not suspend social programs in response to these difficulties.
She highlighted the flagship program, +Rodzina 500 plus+, as a transformative measure for Polish families. More than PLN 240 billion has been directed to households, with over 7 million children receiving benefits every month, she stated.
She added that people and families hold central importance for the Law and Justice government. Therefore, social programs are designed to support children, parents, and seniors. This year, PLN 5.5 billion will be allocated to the toddler plus initiative. She also noted that seniors receive grateful recognition through the 13th and 14th pensions, with at least PLN 70 billion to be allocated to these pensions this year, she said in Ostrów Wielkopolski.
Other social initiatives include a program to help children get a strong start, maternity allowances for parents who have raised at least four children and do not receive a minimum pension, and family care capital, she explained. She emphasized that such support did not exist before 2016.
“It hurts them that PiS works for someone else”
According to the head of the family ministry, this year’s elections will decide Poland’s future, whether the country stays strong, independent, and self-governing as the party claims to shape today, or becomes more dependent on others. The question remains whether citizens can count on state aid, or whether chaos funded by the opposition will prevail, she argued.
She argued that opponents cannot accept defeat and that those critics are pained by the notion that PiS serves another man. The aim is not to return to era when they governed or to the policies of the People’s Republic of Poland. Nor should one accept the soulless reforms associated with Balcerowicz, which allegedly left Polish families feeling unsafe and unemployment rising without sufficient state support, she claimed.
She pointed out that a return to past governance would not be desirable and that the current administration seeks responsible, people-centered policies.
“We will help because there is funding”
Maląg argued that Poland must be secure, and that is why the governing party prioritizes rebuilding the armed forces and strengthening Poland’s position within NATO.
She stated that Poland now leads in several areas of European Union action and on the international stage, highlighting the diplomacy led by Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and the presidency of President Jarosław Kaczyński.
She asserted that the PiS government has demonstrated its ability to assist people during difficult times, contrasting it with opposition claims about scarce resources or mismanagement. She offered a concrete example of subsidies provided during times of high energy costs.
According to the minister, the current administration is committed to raising the minimum wage, which is planned to reach PLN 3,600 this year, and to setting the hourly rate for those working under civil law contracts. She argued that financial support had been safeguarded by ending policies she described as giving benefits to elites during previous rule and targeting VAT-related subsidies in a way that benefited broader society.
In closing, the discussion underscored a belief that financial resources can drive social protection, economic stability, and national resilience.
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