Elzbieta Jakubiak photo - PAPThe conflict within the opposition Law and Justice (PiS) continued, Wednesday, when Elzbieta Jakubiak, a prominent member of Jaroslaw Kaczynski’s presidential election campaign, was suspended from the party.
No official reasons were given by party HQ last night, and even Jakubiak herself says she found about her suspension “from the media”.
“I am sure it is all a misunderstanding,” she told a private TV news channel, and said she would try to have a meeting with party chairman, Jaroslaw Kaczynski on Thursday.
Asked whether she thought the suspension was connected with the defeat of Jaroslaw Kaczynski in July’s presidential election, Jakubiak, a former sports minister in the Law and Justice led government (2005-7) said. “But there were others in the team,” and then listed some of the party hardliners who had been urging Jaroslaw Kaczynski to be more aggressive in his campaign this summer. “There was Mariusz Blaszczak, Joachim Brudziński, Marek Kuchciński, Adam Bielan, Mariusz Kaminski and Zbigniew Ziobro…”
Jakubiak’s suspension comes days after MEP Marek Migalski was expelled from the Law and Justice caucus in the European Parliament after voicing criticisms of Jaroslaw Kaczynski, calling for a more censual style of politics, associated with younger members of the campaign team such as Jakubiak.
Another member of Kaczynski’s campaign team, Joanna Kluzik -Rostkowska, who had supported Migalski’s right to criticise the party leader, said last night: “I feel responsible for Ela. She was one of my closest at party headquarters.”
“If her suspension is a punishment [for the campaign] then the same should be given to all those responsible for the [election] result,” she added.
Jakubiak’s suspension further increases tension within the Law and Justice party, which has split into two camps - hawks and doves - with one side urging Jaroslaw Kaczynski on the offensive against the government and President Bronislaw Komorowski, and others like Kluzik -Rostkowska, Jakubiak and Migalski who warn that the current strategy has led to successive defeats for the party at the ballot box.
Local elections are scheduled for the autumn and a general election next year. Last week Kaczynski called for loyalty in the party and an end to criticism of his style of leadership. (pg)
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