WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland’s main opposition party faces a split in a disagreement over its future direction, with the party leader saying Friday that more than 30 lawmakers have effectively left.

The conservative nationalist Law and Justice party ran Poland from 2015 to 2023, when the current liberal government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk took power. During that time, it tightened control over the courts by appointing loyalist judges to higher courts and punishing critics with disciplinary action.

kAm%96 %FD< 8@G6C?>6?EVD 677@CED E@ C6G6CD6 E9@D6 492?86D 92G6 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^A@=2?5\;F5:4:2=\:?56A6?56?46\56>@4C24J\EFD<\=2H\;FDE:46\aebc2b_cd6_h3a47ff3chd4`665dc73dQmC6A62E65=J 366? 3=@4<65k^2m 3J EH@ DF446DD:G6 AC6D:56?ED DJ>A2E96E:4 E@ {2H 2?5 yFDE:46]k^Am

kAm$E:==[ E6?D:@?D H:E9:? {2H 2?5 yFDE:46 92G6 D:>>6C65 2D 2 ?2E:@?2= 6=64E:@? ?6IE J62C 2AAC@2496D[ 2?5 :E 7246D 2 492==6?86 7C@> A2CE:6D 7FCE96C E@ :ED C:89E]k^Am

kAm{@?8E:>6 =6256C y2C@Dł2H z24KJńD<: 2?5 |2E6FDK |@C2H:64<:[ !@=2?5VD AC:>6 >:?:DE6C 7C@> a_`f E@ a_ab[ 92G6 366? 2E E96 46?E6C @7 E96 DA2E] |@C2H:64<: C6AC6D6?ED 2 C6=2E:G6=J >@56C2E6 724E:@? 2?5 😕 pAC:= D6E FA 2? 2DD@4:2E:@? 42==65 s6G6=@A>6?E !=FD[ H9:49 >2?J 😕 E96 A2CEJ G:6H H:E9 DFDA:4:@?]k^Am

kAmp 5625=:?6 7@C =2H>2<6CD E@ 4@>>:E ?@E E@ 36 >6>36CD @7 @E96C A@=:E:42= 2DD@4:2E:@?D 6IA:C65 %9FCD52J ?:89E] p >66E:?8 %9FCD52J 36EH66? z24KJńD<: 2?5 |@C2H:64<: 72:=65 E@ C6D@=G6 E96:C 5:776C6?46D]k^Am

kAm~? uC:52J[ z24KJńD<: D2:5 E92E[ 2D 2 C6DF=E[ >@C6 E92? b_ =2H>2<6CD 925 C6D:8?65 7C@> E96:C >6>36CD9:A @7 E96 A2CEJ[ !@=:D9 ?6HD 286?4J !p! C6A@CE65] w6 D2:5 E96 A2CEJVD A@=:E:42= 4@>>:EE66 H:== >66E @? %F6D52J E@ 24@H=6586 E92E]k^Am

kAm!:@EC |ü==6C[ 2 tFC@A62? !2C=:2>6?E =2H>2<6C 7@C {2H 2?5 yFDE:46 2?5 |@C2H:64<: DFAA@CE6C[ 4@?EC25:4E65 E96 A2CEJ =6256CD9:A] w6 HC@E6 @? ) E92E ?@ A2CEJ >6>36CD H9@ H6C6 😕 s6G6=@A>6?E !=FD 925 24EF2==J C6D:8?65 7C@> {2H 2?5 yFDE:46]k^Am

kAm|@C2H:64<: D2:5 uC:52J E92E 96 2?5 @E96C >6>36CD @7 9:D 2DD@4:2E:@? 92G6?’E J6E 5:D4FDD65 E96 7@C>2E:@? @7 2?J ?6H A2CEJ[ 2?5 D2:5 E92E “H6 92G6 E@ 5:D4FDD 2== A=2?D 7@C E96 7FEFC6[” !p! C6A@CE65]k^Am

kAm{2H 2?5 yFDE:46 92D `ge D62ED 😕 E96 ce_\D62E $6;>[ E96 =@H6C 9@FD6 @7 A2C=:2>6?E]k^Am

Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.