Dispute over Poland's exit from the EU - Prime Minister Tusk opposes opposition leader Kaczynski

The Polish government has firmly rejected statements by the head of the right-wing conservative Law and Justice party (PiS) about Poland's possible exit from the EU. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Thursday in the online service X that he was ready to wage a “bitter fight” against his country’s exit from the EU.

PiS opposition leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski raised the possibility of a “Polexit” on Wednesday if the EU does not reform in the way he envisions.

Kaczyński has just announced that Poland should begin negotiations on the terms of leaving the European Union, writes Tusk. That is the stakes in the political struggle that is currently being waged in Poland. It's a tough fight. He doesn't intend to lose, said Tusk. Even if not everyone played along.

Kaczynski, who was prime minister of Poland in 2006 and 2007, calls for the abolition of the European Commission, "a very harmful body that should not exist," and a new treaty between states. At an appearance on Wednesday, he said that if these demands were not met, “the current EU treaty sets the conditions for a country to leave the European Union.”

Kaczynski: Risky method, but the situation is critical

Negotiations on such an exit from the EU must “absolutely” be started, the PiS leader said. “It is a difficult and risky method, but the situation is so critical that it is worth resorting to when other methods fail,” he added.

The PiS party last ruled the country from 2015 to 2023. However, a victory in the 2027 parliamentary elections seems unlikely - unless the party joins forces with anti-European right-wing parties.