"This is a witch hunt," Obajtek told reporters in Brussels after the vote. "I served Poland and built a world-class company. Now they want to destroy me because I refuse to be silent about their failures."

But prosecutors counter that Obajtek's tenure at Orlen exemplified the politicization of state assets that characterized the PiS government's eight years in power. Critics allege that Orlen became a de facto arm of the ruling party, funding friendly media, rewarding political allies, and using its market dominance to punish critics.

The other three MEPs stripped of immunity face separate investigations. Grzegorz Braun, a far-right provocateur, is wanted in connection with an incident in which he used a fire extinguisher to put out Hanukkah candles in the Polish parliament—an act widely condemned as antisemitic. Patryk Jaki, a former deputy justice minister, faces questions about his role in controversial judicial appointments. Zbigniew Buczek is under investigation for alleged abuse of power.

The immunity votes were not automatic. European Parliament members can request that the body protect them from prosecution they believe to be politically motivated. But in all four cases, the Parliament's legal affairs committee recommended lifting immunity, and the full chamber agreed by comfortable margins.

The decision reflects a broader reckoning in Poland over the rule of law that has been unfolding since Tusk's coalition defeated PiS in the October 2023 elections. The previous government had spent years dismantling judicial independence, packing courts with loyalists, and using state institutions to reward friends and punish enemies.

The European Union had responded by freezing billions of euros in pandemic recovery funds, citing concerns about democratic backsliding. Restoring those funds—and Poland's standing in Brussels—has required the Tusk government to undertake painful reforms, including unwinding PiS-era changes to the judiciary.

"This is not revenge," Tusk said in a statement following the immunity votes. "This is accountability. In a democracy, no one is above the law—not former ministers, not state company executives, not members of parliament."

PiS leaders have framed the investigations as political persecution, accusing Tusk of using state prosecutors to settle scores with political opponents. They point out that many of the current prosecutors leading investigations were themselves appointed during the PiS era—a fact they claim proves the investigations are legitimate, not political.

The immunity vote also highlights the unusual role that the European Parliament has come to play in Polish politics. Following their electoral defeat, several prominent PiS figures—including Obajtek—secured seats in the European legislature, where parliamentary immunity would theoretically shield them from prosecution at home.

But European immunity is not absolute. It protects MEPs from prosecution for statements made in the course of their duties, but not from criminal investigations unrelated to parliamentary work. The European Parliament can—and frequently does—vote to lift immunity when requested by member state authorities.

Legal experts say the Polish cases could set important precedents for how the European Union handles accountability for officials from governments that may have violated EU democratic standards.

"The question is whether European institutions will provide cover for politicians fleeing accountability," said Marcin Matczak, a constitutional law professor at the University of Warsaw. "Today's votes suggest the answer is no—that European immunity is not a get-out-of-jail-free card for political corruption."

The practical impact of Tuesday's votes will unfold in coming weeks as Polish prosecutors formally charge the four MEPs and potentially seek their detention. Under European law, MEPs can be arrested and prosecuted once immunity is lifted, though they cannot be detained during parliamentary sessions without the Parliament's consent.

For Obajtek, the end of immunity may finally force a reckoning with allegations that have dogged him since his dramatic rise from small-town mayor to head of Poland's largest company. For the Tusk government, it represents progress in the long campaign to restore democratic accountability after what critics describe as eight years of democratic erosion.