Thousands of individuals gathered at an anti-government rally in Warsaw, Poland, organized by the nationalist conservative opposition party ahead of the upcoming presidential election. Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the leader of Law and Justice, urged supporters to be actively engaged in social and political spheres and to support the party’s candidate in the upcoming election, without disclosing the candidate’s name yet. Kaczynski criticized the pro-European Union government, accusing it of acting against the country’s interests and violating its laws. He highlighted ongoing investigations into alleged corruption and mismanagement within the Law and Justice government.
Around 4,000 attendees, waving national white-and-red flags, assembled for the rally outside the Justice Ministry in Warsaw, a location synonymous with the deep-seated divides between Kaczynski’s supporters and those of Prime Minister Donald Tusk, leader of the center-right Civic Platform party. Law and Justice, which governed Poland from 2015 to 2023, faced backlash from Brussels and Tusk for enacting what was perceived as undemocratic changes to the country’s judicial system.
The aggressive and divisive rhetoric utilized by Kaczynski, who exerted significant influence over government policies, had left many citizens weary. Although Law and Justice lost power in the 2023 election, it continues to wield influence through its alliance with President Andrzej Duda, who has been obstructing several of the government’s proposed legislations. Duda, in his final term ending in August, has remained a stalwart supporter of Law and Justice.
