In the spotlight: Jarosław Kaczyński

The older of the twins is seen as the author of the party's triumph in last autumn's parliamentary elections and his brother's win in the presidential race. Following parliamentary elections, Jarosław Kaczyński didn't take up the post of Prime Minister as promised, and nominated Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz to be the leader of the government. This move was to help his brother in the presidential race. Many claim that the scene following the announcement of Lech's victory, when he saluted and reported: "Mr Chairman [Jarosław Kaczyński], the mission has been accomplished," symbolizes who really runs things in the country.

In recent weeks Jarosław Kaczyński has been particularly active in trying to form a stable government. Threatening smaller parties like Self-defense, the Peasants' Party (PSL) and League of Polish Families (LPR) with the prospect of early elections, which would most likely leave some of them outside parliament, he tried to push them to form a coalition. When the talks floundered, he offered his idea of a 'Stabilization Pact' in ultimatum form: Either the smaller parties would unconditionally support PiS, or would face early elections. And with the polls showing support for PiS above the 40-percent mark, it is Kaczyński who holds all the cards.