Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki revealed during a press conference on Wednesday that Mariusz Blaszczak, the current Defence Minister, has been extended an offer to head the Law and Justice (PiS) parliamentary caucus in the upcoming term.
This move comes in the wake of the formation of a new government, necessitated by PiS’s loss of its majority in the Sejm, the lower house of the Polish parliament, in the general election held on October 15. The impending change in the composition of the cabinet will result in the displacement of Minister Blaszczak and his fellow cabinet members.
During the press conference, Prime Minister Morawiecki hinted at forthcoming personnel changes within the PiS party, acknowledging a Tuesday meeting of the party’s leadership. Morawiecki expressed confidence in Blaszczak’s abilities, stating, “I can only confirm that the leadership has asked Mariusz Blaszczak to take on a role that he knows well. He has already served as the head of the caucus, a very good head of the caucus, and if he accepts this role, he will certainly be a very good head of the Law and Justice caucus during the next term.”
Ryszard Terlecki, the current holder of the caucus leadership position and deputy speaker of the Sejm, also weighed in on this development during an appearance on Poland’s Radio 3 earlier that day. He remarked, “Unfortunately, Mariusz Blaszczak will no longer serve as Minister of Defence, but I daresay he will be an excellent head of the caucus, in fact, I am sure of it.”
The reshuffling of roles and responsibilities within the PiS party is a notable political shift following the election’s outcomes, and it is anticipated that Blaszczak’s potential new role will play a pivotal part in the party’s dynamics moving forward.