The leader of Poland's right-wing populist Self-Defense Party (Samoobrona), Andrzej Lepper, returned to his posts as deputy prime minister and agriculture minister late Oct. 16. His reinstatement occurred as Samoobrona and the ultraconservative League of Polish Families signed a deal with the governing Law and Justice Party (PiS) to form a national government. The previous coalition government led by Samoobrona and PiS fell apart Sept. 21 after President Lech Kaczynski removed Lepper from his deputy prime minister and agriculture minister positions. Lepper's removal came at the request of the president's brother, Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski, who had a long-brewing falling out with Lepper over agricultural spending and relations with Russia .