Marek Jurek, House Speaker and deputy head of the ruling Law and Justice party has resigned from party membership. This comes in the wake of Jurek's offer to resign from his office as the house speaker - all as a consequence of the unsuccessful vote on the constitutional guarantees of protection of life from conception to natural death.
Jurek was a strong supporter of a right to life clause in the constitution. Although over 60% of the parliamentarians voted for the amendment, 27 votes were lacking to achive the required 2/3 majority. Jurek said that he did not receive enough support from his party colleagues in this effort.
Leaving the party meeting, Marek Jurek was followed by a group of other Law and Justice members who consider joining him in his decision, should he choose to set up a new parliamentary club based on values that they consider fundamental.
Prime Minister Jarosław Kaczyński said that Marek Jurek did not consult with him the decision to leave the Law and Justice party. He also expressed hope that Jurek would change his mind.
Opposition party leader, Donald Tusk is of the opinion that the present political crisis will only deepen in the following weeks and will weaken the ruling Law and Justice party.
Grzegorz Napieralski of the far left post-communist Democratic Left Alliance party said the he expects the ruling conservatives to start disappearing from the Polish political scene.
The leadership of the Law and Justice party will soon convene for a special session to discuss the new situation in the party.