Kaczynski, leader of Polish ruling party, returns to government

FILE PHOTO: Jaroslaw Kaczynski, leader of the ruling Law and Justice (PIS) party, speaks at a party convention in Warsaw, Poland, May 13, 2023. Slawomir Kaminski/Agencja Wyborcza.pl via REUTERS/File Photo

WARSAW (Reuters) - The leader of Poland's ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, will return to the cabinet as deputy prime minister, the government spokesman said on Wednesday, ahead of a closely fought election expected in October or November.

The return of Kaczynski, widely viewed as Poland's de-facto ruler, comes amid a stuttering campaign by the conservative ruling party for a third term that would likely see it continue policies that have set it at odds with the European Union.