PiS bans members from political associations; Morawiecki defies 7-day ultimatum, risking expulsion

The resolution passed without Morawiecki

On 15 July, the Presidium of the Law and Justice (PiS) Political Committee adopted a resolution banning members from participating in associations, foundations, or NGOs engaged in political activity. The text obliges every party member, regardless of function, to immediately cease any activity within such organisations and to withdraw within seven days, i.e. by 22 July. Spokesman Rafał Bochenek said the decision was taken unanimously and that non-compliance would trigger a disciplinary procedure, including exclusion from PiS. Notably, Mateusz Morawiecki, the former prime minister and founder of the Rozwój Plus association, did not attend the presidium meeting, a fact Bochenek confirmed to journalists.

Sasin complies, Morawiecki stands firm

Jacek Sasin, whose association Po Pierwsze Polska was launched in June, announced immediately after the meeting that his organisation would cease operations.

Law and Justice must be a unified party, and we accept that as obvious. I have declared that we will of course comply.

Morawiecki reacted with a written statement on social media, insisting that building a Great Poland remains the goal of Rozwój Plus. He argued that the party needs "both a strong voice in defence of our values and a broad opening to those who want a modern, dynamic and strong Poland. Only in this way can we fight for every vote and win over new voters."

MEP Piotr Müller, a close ally of the former premier, was even more combative. He told Rzeczpospolita that membership in the association "is in no way in opposition to activity in PiS." In a social media post, Müller wrote that he was surprised by the decision and declared that "our activity should be continued." Müller also confirmed that a planned barbecue and policy debate for association sympathisers on 31 July would go ahead as scheduled.

Party warns of losing state subsidies

Bochenek made clear that the leadership views the parallel structures as a direct threat to PiS's finances. He wrote on X that the activities of Rozwój Plus and similar groups "in an obvious way lead to depriving Law and Justice of the funding necessary for victory." The party's concern is that if the associations are classified as political parties by the electoral authorities, PiS could lose a share of its state subsidy, a risk that triggered the swift crackdown.

Their planned activities clearly lead to depriving Law and Justice of the funding necessary for victory. We sincerely advise our colleagues to reflect on this. Let's not make it easier for Tusk to win.

The resolution also killed a nascent association called Porozumienie Centrum, which was to be registered by party stalwarts. Marek Suski, one of the organisers, announced: "In accordance with the decision of Chairman Jarosław Kaczyński, we are not registering the Porozumienie Centrum association. The association is not starting its activity, and colleagues will focus on work for Poland within Law and Justice."

Trzaskowski: the party has lost its way

Outside PiS, Warsaw mayor and Civic Coalition deputy leader Rafał Trzaskowski told TVN24 that the party is "completely lost, chasing radicalism." He said that listening to Morawiecki and Przemysław Czarnek, "they speak in completely different voices," and that Kaczyński had "completely lost control." Trzaskowski added that he was not worried by the internal infighting, which he saw as a sign of deeper fragmentation.

What happens next

Party members have until 22 July to submit a written declaration that they do not belong to any political association. Those who refuse, Bochenek warned, will face expulsion proceedings through the Political Committee. The open defiance from Morawiecki's camp sets up a high-stakes test of Kaczyński's authority: if the former prime minister and his followers ignore the ultimatum, the party risks either a damaging split or a humiliating climbdown just as it tries to unify against the Tusk government ahead of future elections. The planned 31 July barbecue, now explicitly forbidden by the party leadership, will be the first obvious flashpoint.