Jarosław Kaczyński has secured another term as leader of the nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party on June 28 during a party congress in Przysucha.

Kaczyński, who has held the top position in PiS since 2003, received 1,214 delegate votes. “This is a huge responsibility, and I know I’m not young anymore, but I believe I can manage – with you,” Kaczyński said. 

“We must succeed, because Poland must change. The dark period we are experiencing must end. Polish freedom, democracy, rule of law and development must endure,” Kaczyński also said.

PiS emerged reinvigorated after the party-backed candidate Karol Nawrocki defied the odds to win the presidential election on June 1 in a setback to the centre-right government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk.

Nawrocki is expected to thwart the government’s efforts at reform, looking to make it ineffective. That should bring about a drop in popular support ahead of the next general election due in 2027.

Polls are showing that it is already happening. A survey by pollster IBRiS released on June 27 showed PiS with 30.5% support, ahead of Tusk’s Civic Coalition (KO) at 25.8%. 

The far-right Confederation recorded 16.8%, while the newly registered Confederation of the Polish Crown debuted with 5.1%, clearing the parliamentary threshold. That could in theory give PiS and the far-right enough seats to introduce changes to the Constitution, setting Poland onto a wholly new political trajectory.

In that vein, Kaczyński called for a restructured state built on sovereignty, democracy and a redefined rule of law, claiming current institutions no longer protect those values effectively. 

“That rule of law and democracy, so easily undermined and trampled today, must be secured by a new state order,” Kaczyński said. He added that such safeguards should be “built into the constitutional system,” though he did not present specific proposals.

Kaczyński also said that winning the next parliamentary election would require PiS to expand and modernise. 

The party is working on a centralised, tech-based system to recruit new members. “We must break down the walls surrounding political parties in Poland – we need something more,” Kaczyński said.

On the economy, Kaczyński argued for a market-based model rooted in private ownership, but also stressed the need for state regulation. “There can also be a role for state ownership – at least until we have our own strong, locally rooted capital,” he said.