Kaczynski re-elected Law and Justice leader for yet another term
Jaroslaw Kaczynski has been re-elected the leader of Poland's main opposition party, the socially-conservative Law and Justice (PiS), with his rule continuing for more than two decades now.
Kaczynski, 76, is often regarded as one of the most powerful political figures in Poland. He has been the PiS chairman since 2003. At a party congress in the central town of Przysucha on Saturday, delegates overwhelmingly supported his candidacy.
PAP has learnt that 1,214 out of 1,300 delegates voted for him. The party also elected four deputy chairpersons, including former Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro and former Education Minister Przemyslaw Czarnek.
"It's a great responsibility, but you have taken - and I'm making no secret of it - a certain risk," Kaczynski said after the vote. "I'm ageing, there's no hiding that, but I believe I will manage, but I can manage only with you."
He then went on to accuse the current centrist coalition government of undermining democracy and restricting freedoms, and urged party members to double their efforts before the parliamentary elections scheduled for the autumn of 2027.
After the October 15, 2023 parliamentary elections, PiS lost power after eight years in government to a coalition of three pro-EU parties led by Donald Tusk, Kaczynski's long-time arch-rival. (PAP)jd/mmr
