Liberalism in Poland

This article gives an overview of liberalism in Poland. It is limited to liberal parties with substantial support, mainly proved by having had a representation in parliament. The sign ⇒ denotes another party in that scheme. Parties included in this scheme do not necessarily label themselves as "liberal".

Background

Liberalism in Poland has always been a minor but sometimes influential political force.

History

Nowadays the Freedom Union (Unia Wolności, member ELDR) is a center liberal party.

Democratic Party

*1938: Left wing liberals founded the Democratic Party ("Stronnictwo Demokratyczne")
*1939: The party is banned by the Germans
*1945: The party is brought under communist control
*1989: The party returned to a democratic profile
*1991: The party entered the electoral committee of the conservative Liberal Democratic Congress
*1997: The party entered the electoral committee of the liberal Freedom Union
*2001: The party entered the electoral committee of the conservative liberal Civic Platform
*2005: The party entered the electoral committee of the conservative liberal Civic Platform

Union of Real Politics

*1990: In 1979 Janusz Korwin-Mikke activist of official Democratic Party published his political agenda. His main idea was to introduce Laissez-faire market economy in Poland. The proposed solution was to sign a deal with class of ruling communists, transforming their share in power into share in business. In 1990 new party Union of Real Politics ("Unia Polityki Realnej") was officially proclaimed.

Citizens's Movement-Democratic Action

*1990: Liberals supporters of the Solidarity Trade Union around Zbigniew Bujak, Władysław Frasyniuk, and Adam Michnik founded the Citizens Movement 'Democratic Action' ("Ruch Obywatelski Akcja Demokratyczna"/ROAD).
*1991: A left-wing faction led by Bujak forms the Democratic Social Movement ("Ruch Demokratyczno Społeczny") and the rest of the party merged into the Democratic Union ("Unia Demokratyczna"/UD).

From Democratic Union to Democratic Party

*1991: Liberal and catholic intellectuals founded the Democratic Union ("Unia Demokratyczna"), absorbing later that year the Forum of Democratic Right and the ⇒ Citizens Movement-Democratic Action. The party is led by Tadeusz Mazowiecki and Bronisław Geremek
*1994: The party merged with the Liberal Democratic Congress into the Freedom Union ("Unia Wolności")
*2001: A right-wing faction created the conservative liberal Civic Platform
*2005: On the basis of the Freedom Union the Democratic Party ("Partia Demokratycnza") is formed.

Liberal leaders

*Władysław Frasyniuk - Janusz Onyszkiewicz - Janusz Korwin-Mikke - Leszek Balcerowicz

ee also

* History of Poland
* Politics of Poland
* List of political parties in Poland
*Far right in Poland
*Anarchism in Poland