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Polish PM candidate calls for opposition to EU policies but rules out exit

21.09.2026 02:12
Przemysław Czarnek, the Law and Justice (PiS) candidate for prime minister, said on Sunday at the Youth Congress in Augustów that a proposal for Poland to leave the European Union “runs counter to the interests of the Polish state,” while adding that he would nonetheless oppose what he described as harmful elements of EU policy affecting the Polish economy.
Przemysław Czarnek during a demonstration in front of the Constitutional Tribunal headquarters in Warsaw,
Przemysław Czarnek during a demonstration in front of the Constitutional Tribunal headquarters in Warsaw, PAP/Paweł Supernak

Czarnek took part in the Youth Congress titled “Youth for the Poland of Tomorrow.” PiS leader Jarosław Kaczyński attended the event the previous day.

Asked about anti‑EU sentiment among PiS supporters, Czarnek stated that he does not support Poland’s withdrawal from the EU.

“As things stand, the proposal to leave the European Union runs counter to the interests of the Polish state. We are not leaving the European Union today, nor do we want to do so in the long run, but we are going to war with leftist Brussels,” he said in Augustów.

He added that he would oppose all aspects of EU policy that, in his view, threaten the Polish economy and agriculture.

“A war with Brussels is a necessity, but a war with Brussels does not mean leaving the European Union,” Czarnek said.

He also commented on the situation within the Polish right following the split in PiS, stressing the need for “peace.” In late July, more than 40 PiS MPs associated with former Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki formed a separate parliamentary group, Rozwój Plus.

“This election campaign is an individual race, not a relay, and it will remain so until the election. Peace must be established immediately after a victorious election. At that point, everyone will have to sit down at the table, and if a coalition on the Right needs to be formed, unity will be necessary,” Czarnek said.

He noted, however, that such “peace” may not materialize. He argued that if PiS and Morawiecki had remained united, polling numbers and electoral prospects would be stronger.

According to Czarnek, PiS’s unity had been under pressure for three years, and Jarosław Kaczyński had sought “an agreement at any cost” to keep the party together. He added that, in politics, not everything can be achieved “at any cost.”

On Saturday, Kaczyński announced that an economic convention would be held in October, during which PiS would present proposals aimed at boosting investment in Poland. On Sunday, Czarnek confirmed that the convention would take place on October 3.

(pu)

Source: PAP