English Section
Polskie Radio English Section Elections 2025

Poland's church funding controversy: nearly 10 billion PLN under PiS rule

25.03.2025 14:10
During a press conference held by the Left party, politicians said that nearly 10 billion PLN (2.4 billion EUR or 2.6 billion USD) was allocated to the Catholic Church outside of the Church Fund during the eight years of rule by the right-wing Law and Justice Party (PiS) in Poland from 2015 to 2023.
On March 24, 2025, New Left candidate, Deputy Senate Speaker Magdalena Biejat (P), New Left co-chair Włodzimierz Czarzasty (C), and Left Club leader Anna Maria Żukowska (L) held a press conference in the Senate discussing the funding of church institutions in a secular state.
On March 24, 2025, New Left candidate, Deputy Senate Speaker Magdalena Biejat (P), New Left co-chair Włodzimierz Czarzasty (C), and Left Club leader Anna Maria Żukowska (L) held a press conference in the Senate discussing the funding of church institutions in a secular state.Photo: PAP/Paweł Supernak

Tadeusz Rydzyk as a major beneficiary

During the period in question, one of the largest beneficiaries of state support was Tadeusz Rydzyk, a controversial figure and director of the far-right, nationalist Radio Maryja, who has faced many accusations of anti-Semitism, racism, and homophobia.

Anna Maria Żukowska, leader of the Left parliamentary club, highlighted that Rydzyk received almost half a billion PLN from the Polish budget.

"In all forms of support, Tadeusz Rydzyk received nearly half a billion złotys from the Polish budget, from the pockets of Polish taxpayers. 427,612,290 PLN (approximately 102.7 million EUR or 111.2 million USD) - these are the amounts missing for many important things in Poland," Żukowska stated.

Push for reform in Poland and a new church funding proposal

Magdalena Biejat, the Left's presidential candidate, emphasized that if she were president, she would uphold the constitution's separation of church and state. She pointed out that the amount given to the church could have been used to build 50,000 apartments in Poland.

On top of this, Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk, Poland’s Minister of Family, Labour, and Social Policy, announced that the Left will push to end the Church Fund, with plans to introduce new legislation on the matter.

(m p)

Source: IAR/PAP/X/@__Lewica/@MagdaBiejat/@AgaBak