Elzbieta Jakubiak - photo east news. below right: Mariusz Blaszczak.

MP Elzbieta Jakubiak was suspended as a member of Law and Justice yesterday because of her “disloyal” attitude following the party’s defeat in presidential elections.

“In these difficult times one needs to be loyal, and not just to your friends,” said leader of the Law and Justice parliamentary party, Mariusz Blaszczak, Thursday afternoon, explaining the suspension of Jakubiak, a former sports minister.

he suspension - which Jabubiak said she learnt not from party officials yesterday but from the media - is the latest twist in a growing split within the opposition Law and Justice party. Jakubiak, a member Jaroslaw Kaczynski’s presidential election campaign team, is associated with the more ‘liberal’ wing of the conservative-nationalist party alongside Joanna Kluzik-Rostkowska and Pawel Poncyliusz.

Jakubiak joined in the criticisms of Jaroslaw Kaczynski’s leadership following his defeat in the July 4 presidential election, saying his style was too aggressive and alienated some voters.

Mariusz Blaszczak said today, however, that open criticism of the party leadership would not be tolerated.

“In the Law and Justice party everyone can express their views freely but it is unacceptable that its members put their frustrations at the centre of a public debate, instead of dealing with important issues,” he said.

MEP Marek Migalski was thrown out of Law and Justice’s parliamentary caucus in the European Parliament last week for saying that Kaczynski’s leadership was alienating voters.

Law and Justice have not won an election in Poland since 2005.

Meanwhile, Elzbieta Jakubiak had a meeting with Jaroslaw Kaczynski today to try and clear up the exact reasons for her suspension but afterwards would not divulge much detail of what was actually said.

“We agreed that we won’t discuss party matters publicly,” she told reporters. “The conversation was very pleasant and we’ll try to ease tensions within the party together,” added Jakubiak.

The MP said she “forgot” however to ask Jaroslaw Kaczynski how long she will be suspended.

Law and Justice remain well behind the ruling Civic Platform in opinion polls with local elections looming in the autumn. (pg/mg)

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