Poland's State Electoral Commission announced on Thursday that the former governing nationalist conservative party, Law and Justice, had breached campaign funding regulations during the 2023 parliamentary election. The commission determined that the party improperly accepted 3.6 million zlotys ($930,000) in public funds, leading to the imposition of significant penalties.
The commission's ruling mandates the Law and Justice party to reimburse the misappropriated funds and also slashes the party's government subsidies for future years by approximately 10 million zlotys ($2.5 million) annually. These penalties are expected to impact the party's financial resources for the upcoming 2025 presidential election, where it aims to retain control of the presidency following the conclusion of President Andrzej Duda's final term next year.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk responded to the commission's decision by emphasizing the importance of upholding the principles of law and justice. However, former Law and Justice Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki criticized the ruling as politically motivated, accusing the current government of seeking revenge and attempting to sideline the opposition.
Law and Justice leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski alleged that the electoral commission's actions were influenced by the centrist and pro-European Union government led by Tusk. Kaczynski warned that any punitive measures would jeopardize democracy in Poland, further exacerbating the longstanding rivalry between him and Tusk.
The electoral commission's investigation revealed instances of Law and Justice utilizing public funds for campaign purposes, such as during summer military events and through Justice Ministry television advertisements. The commission is mandated by law to review the financial reports of all participating parties in an election and penalize any violations exceeding 1% of the party's budget.
Following the October 15 general election, which saw Law and Justice lose power to a coalition led by Tusk, the government initiated inquiries into alleged abuses of power and state finances by the former ruling party. Kaczynski and his supporters have denounced these investigations as politically motivated attempts to undermine the opposition.
