Poland’s national conservative party Law and Justice (PiS) party took office for two terms in 2015, promising to rescue the country from a self-enriching, post-communist elite.
In opposition since last December, PiS now stands accused of plundering state coffers to fund its failed 2023 re-election campaign.
If confirmed by the supreme court, the findings of Poland’s national election commission (PKW) could cost PiS three-quarters of its forecast state funding, based on last year’s election result.
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At stake is about €10 million in public funding over the current four-year parliamentary term, with other subsidies at risk in a looming second commission report.
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PiS hopes the supreme court, filled with its own appointees, will overturn the decision. If not, the party will struggle to compete in next year’s crucial presidential elections.
Former PiS prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki described the ruling as “part of the political game of the current government, whose goal is revenge and marginalisation of the opposition”.
PiS critics dismissed that claim, noting that the electoral commission was filled with appointees of the PiS-aligned outgoing president, Andrzej Duda.
Prime minister Donald Tusk responded on X: “PiS is learning the true meaning of law and justice,” tweeted Tusk, who took office last December in a centre-left coalition and promised to investigate what he called “eight corrupt years” of PiS administration.
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Polish parliamentary president Szymon Hołownia, head of the Tusk-aligned Poland 2050, added on X: “PiS was not punished by anyone today, PiS punished itself. It ran the campaign on steroids and today it was merely billed for those steroids.”
During last year’s election campaign, opposition parties attacked PiS for allowing staff in three ministries work for its re-election bid.
The electoral commission investigation agreed with many of their complaints, in particular how the justice ministry financed election advertisements for its minister as well as pro-PiS family picnics during the campaign, co-ordinated by the Polish army.
PiS chairman Jarosław Kaczyński was the guest speaker at one such picnic last August. Flanked by Polish soldiers, he warned picnickers that Donald Tusk was “the personification of evil in Poland”.
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The commission alleges the PiS government tapped funds from the state forest authority to subsidise campaign costs. It also claims the government handed €23 million from a fund to help victims of crime to a foundation run by a self-described exorcist priest. The money was allegedly spent on a television broadcast studio and post-production facilities.
Losing its full subsidy entitlement would compound an already dire financial outlook at the heavily indebted PiS. According to accounts, it spent 38.8 million złoty (€9.1 million) on last year’s election. Without state reimbursement, it will not be able to service a 15 million złoty (€3.5 million) campaign loan.
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