The recent anti-government rally organized by Poland’s nationalist conservative opposition party, Law and Justice, drew thousands of supporters in an effort to boost backing ahead of next year’s presidential election. Party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski called on attendees to be active in social and political spheres and to support the party’s eventual candidate for the election, although no candidate has been named yet. Kaczynski criticized the current pro-European Union government, accusing it of acting against the nation’s interests and violating its laws, pointing to ongoing investigations into alleged mismanagement and corruption within the Law and Justice government.
The rally, which saw up to 4,000 people waving national flags outside the Justice Ministry in Warsaw, highlighted the long-standing divide between supporters of Kaczynski’s party and those aligned with current Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s Civic Platform party. Law and Justice, which held power in Poland from 2015 until 2023, faced criticism both domestically and from Brussels for changes made to the country’s judicial system that were widely viewed as undemocratic. Many Polish citizens expressed fatigue with the aggressive and divisive language used by Kaczynski, who continued to exert influence over the government even after the party was voted out of power in the 2023 election.
Despite losing control of the government, Law and Justice still holds significant sway through President Andrzej Duda, who is aligned with the party. Duda, whose final term expires in August, has been blocking numerous draft laws proposed by the current government, further solidifying the ongoing political power struggle in Poland. The upcoming presidential election in 2024 is expected to be highly contentious, with Law and Justice aiming to regain influence in the country’s leadership while facing opposition from rival parties and public dissatisfaction with their previous governance. The rally served as a platform for Kaczynski and his supporters to rally against the current administration and bolster their efforts to return to power in the upcoming election.
