Poland's opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party has expelled former prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki and a larger group of lawmakers following the party's split, the head of the party's internal disciplinary court told public broadcaster TVP on Friday.
The court ruled that those affected had violated party statutes by leaving the PiS parliamentary group and joining a new one.
The expulsions affect 38 lawmakers, including Morawiecki, and two senators. The conservative PiS had previously held 181 seats in the Sejm, the lower house of parliament, and 33 seats in the Senate, the upper house.
The PiS split at the end of July following a power struggle between party founder Jarosław Kaczyński, 77, and Morawiecki, 58. Morawiecki had refused to go along with the rightward shift imposed by Kaczyński and had founded an internal party group called Development Plus together with other representatives of the economically liberal wing.
Kaczyński had demanded the dissolution of the group, issuing an ultimatum and insisting all members sign a declaration of loyalty. Morawiecki refused both demands and announced the formation of his own parliamentary group. Expulsion proceedings were then launched against him and his fellow Development Plus members.
The PiS governed Poland from 2015 to 2023. During that time, it significantly restructured the justice system, which led among other things to a confrontation with the European Commission.
The PiS lost the general election in October 2023 and has since been the country's largest opposition party.