Barely a week after a record win of seats in the European Parliament, Poland's ruling Law and Justice (conservative) Party got an extra — and unexpected — boost.
The breakup Saturday of the center-left coalition that mobilized against Law and Justice in the European elections May 23-26 gives the conservative party of Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki a major boost in the next general elections in autumn.
As a result, the hand of conservative governments is enhanced in the EU — notably Hungary, Czech Republic, Italy, and now Poland. All four countries pursue strongly conservative agendas on cultural and economic issues.
All of them also have excellent relationships with President Donald Trump.
The coalition of pro-EU parties that was battling the Law and Justice Party split Saturday like a giant amoeba. The primary reason for the split was the European Coalition (KE) — which was formed specifically to contest the European elections May 23-26 — had embraced decidedly left-of-center parties.
The notable leftist party within KE was the Democratic Left Alliance (SLD), successor to the Communist Party that ruled Poland from the end of World War II until the fall of communism in 1989.
This was too much for the historically centrist and agrarian Peasants Party, which announced it was leaving the KE and would field candidates on its own.
"We've decided to build our own group for the general election," Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said. "We invite everyone who shares our values to join us."
In races for Members of the European Parliament (MEP) last week, Law and Justice won 45 percent of the vote and 27 seats. The opposition KE drew 38 percent and 22 seats.
Polish voters also rejected two new opposition movements in the European elections. Wiosna ("Spring"), a vehicle for Poland's LGBT community, barely qualified for the European Parliament and got three seats. Moreover, Konfederacja (Confederacy), a big tent of opponents to the government from Libertarians to Monarchists, failed to get the minimum percentage of votes to get in the European Parliament.
John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.