Jarosław Kaczyński expels Mateusz Morawiecki and dozens of lawmakers from Poland’s main opposition party following a loyalty pledge dispute.

Jarosław Kaczyński, the leader of Poland’s national-conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party, announced on Friday that more than 30 lawmakers have effectively resigned from the party. The split occurred after these members refused to sign a loyalty pledge by a midnight deadline on Thursday, which required them to commit to no external political associations. The dispute centers on Mateusz Morawiecki, the former prime minister and a leader of a more moderate faction within the party. Morawiecki established a growth-oriented association called Development Plus in April, which Kaczyński viewed as a potential threat to the party's primacy. While Morawiecki argued the association was intended to complement PiS, Kaczyński saw it as a plan to split the party. The expulsion marks a significant shift for PiS, which has dominated the Polish right for two decades. The party is currently grappling with falling poll numbers and competition from far-right challengers. While Morawiecki’s supporters expressed regret over the split, they maintained that their primary goal remains toppling the current government led by Donald Tusk.

Sources