Left and Democrats
Encyclopedia
Left and Democrats (LiD) was a centre-left
political coalition
in Poland
which was created on September 3, 2006, before the Warsaw
municipal election of 2006. The coalition's aim was to provide an alternative for both the national-conservative
Law and Justice
party and the liberal-conservative
Civic Platform
, which were Poland's two major political parties since 2005. LiD contested their first national election in October, 2007 and won 53 seats to the Polish parliament, the Sejm
. The LiD alliance was dissolved in April 2008, following a rift between the member parties.
At the beginning, the coalition was created only to enter candidates in regional councils. However, later it functioned during elections to many other, smaller units of local government
, such as mayorships and town councils.
The September 2006 Agreement that founded the coalition accused the then incumbent government, led by the Law and Justice party, of causing an erosion of democracy in Poland. Wojciech Olejniczak
, the chairman of Democratic Left Alliance, argued that the only true alternative to Law and Justice would be a coalition of the centre and left parties, alleging that Civic Platform, then the largest opposition party in the Polish Sejm, was too close politically to the Law and Justice Party.
The party's founding act also emphasized such elements as local government, Poland as part of an "open and modern Europe", protection of democratic institutions and separation of powers, opposition to a "closed" foreign policy, and support for pluralism and tolerance
as the hallmarks of a democratic society.
was created, for the purpose of clarifying a common centre-left political program.
The members of the Political Negotiating Committee were:
LiD contested their first national elections
in October, 2007. Aleksander Kwaśniewski led the campaign, as the nominal head of the coalition, and its candidate for Prime Minister. LiD managed to take 13.2% of the national vote, and 53 seats, therefore achieving third place after the Civic Platform & Law and Justice parties, respectively. Of the 53 seats gained, the SLD took 37 seats, SDPL took 10, PD took 1, whilst non-party candidates took 5 seats (3 candidates were affiliated with the SLD and 2 affiliated with PD). The 4th coalition partner, the UP, did not win any seats. LiD did not manage to elect any of its members to the upper house Senate. Following the elections, LiD was not invited to participate in the coalition of the victorious Civic Platform with the agrarian Polish People's Party (PSL). Nevertheless, LiD held some leverage in the new Sejm, as the government on occasion needed its votes to overturn presidential vetos on government legislation. Kwaśniewski announced his resignation from the leadership of LiD, following the outcome of the election.
On the 29th March, 2008, SLD leader Wojciech Olejniczak
, surprised his allies by issuing a media release announcing that the alliance between SLD and PD was over, as the SLD was unable to work with PD any longer. This essentially meant that the SLD was ejecting PD from the LiD alliance, without having consulted them or the other constituent LiD parties. This decision drew sharp criticism, not only from the PD, but also Aleksander Kwaśniewski, SDPL leader Marek Borowski
and even from within the SLD itself. Olejniczak was one of the architects of LiD and one of its strongest defenders within the SLD. Commentators of the Polish political scene generally explain the motivation of the course of action taken by Olejniczak and his supporters, as relating to the impending battle for the leadership of the party at the SLD June party conference, between Olejniczak himself and the party general-secretary, Grzegorz Napieralski
, who dominated the SLD left-wing and was known for his LiD-sceptic views.
Although Olejniczak indicated his hope that the LiD parliamentary caucus would remain intact irrespective of the LiD/PD split, on April 1, the 3 PD parliamentarians left the LiD caucus, to form a separate parliamentary group. After the SDPL leadership consulted on how that party should respond to the crisis within LiD, Borowski announced his party's support for a resumption of talks between all parties, with the aim of rebuilding LiD, to the satisfaction of all parties concerned. This proposal was rejected by the SLD, and consequently, on the 19th April Borowski announced his party's withdrawal from LiD. On the 23rd April, 8 out of 10 SDPL's M.P's, left the LiD caucus, to form the separate grouping called SDPL-New Left (SDPL-Nowa Lewica). The remainder of LiD M.P's (40 from SLD and 2 from SDPL) renamed themselves "Lewica" - The Left, and the LiD alliance formally came to an end.
Centre-left
Centre-left is a political term that describes individuals, political parties or organisations such as think tanks whose ideology lies between the centre and the left on the left-right spectrum...
political coalition
Coalition
A coalition is a pact or treaty among individuals or groups, during which they cooperate in joint action, each in their own self-interest, joining forces together for a common cause. This alliance may be temporary or a matter of convenience. A coalition thus differs from a more formal covenant...
in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
which was created on September 3, 2006, before the Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
municipal election of 2006. The coalition's aim was to provide an alternative for both the national-conservative
National conservatism
National conservatism is a political term used primarily in Europe to describe a variant of conservatism which concentrates more on national interests than standard conservatism as well as upholding cultural and ethnic identity, while not being outspokenly nationalist or supporting a far-right...
Law and Justice
Law and Justice
Law and Justice , abbreviated to PiS, is a right-wing, conservative political party in Poland. With 147 seats in the Sejm and 38 in the Senate, it is the second-largest party in the Polish parliament....
party and the liberal-conservative
Liberal conservatism
Liberal conservatism also known as progressive conservatism is a variant of political conservatism which incorporates liberal elements. As "conservatism" and "liberalism" have had different meanings over time and across countries, the term "liberal conservatism" has been used in quite different...
Civic Platform
Civic Platform
Civic Platform , abbreviated to PO, is a centre-right, liberal conservative political party in Poland. It has been the major coalition partner in Poland's government since the 2007 general election, with party leader Donald Tusk as Prime Minister of Poland and Bronisław Komorowski as President...
, which were Poland's two major political parties since 2005. LiD contested their first national election in October, 2007 and won 53 seats to the Polish parliament, the Sejm
Sejm
The Sejm is the lower house of the Polish parliament. The Sejm is made up of 460 deputies, or Poseł in Polish . It is elected by universal ballot and is presided over by a speaker called the Marshal of the Sejm ....
. The LiD alliance was dissolved in April 2008, following a rift between the member parties.
Origins
On September 15, 2006, the Coalition Election Committee was officially appointed under the name of "SLD+SdPl+PD+UP – Lewica i Demokraci" (containing the abbreviations for all the member parties as well as the name 'Leftists and Democrats'). The four member parties were:- Democratic Left AllianceDemocratic Left AllianceDemocratic Left Alliance is a social-democratic political party in Poland. Formed in 1991 as a coalition of centre-left parties, it was formally established as a single party on 15 April 1999. It is currently the third largest opposition party in Poland....
(SLD), social-democraticSocial democracySocial democracy is a political ideology of the center-left on the political spectrum. Social democracy is officially a form of evolutionary reformist socialism. It supports class collaboration as the course to achieve socialism... - Social Democracy of Poland (SDPL), social-democratic
- Labour UnionLabour Union (Poland)The Labour Union is a social-democratic political party in Poland. It is a member of the Party of European Socialists and Socialist International....
(UP), social-democratic - Democratic Party – demokraci.pl (PD), social-liberalSocial liberalismSocial liberalism is the belief that liberalism should include social justice. It differs from classical liberalism in that it believes the legitimate role of the state includes addressing economic and social issues such as unemployment, health care, and education while simultaneously expanding...
At the beginning, the coalition was created only to enter candidates in regional councils. However, later it functioned during elections to many other, smaller units of local government
Local government
Local government refers collectively to administrative authorities over areas that are smaller than a state.The term is used to contrast with offices at nation-state level, which are referred to as the central government, national government, or federal government...
, such as mayorships and town councils.
The September 2006 Agreement that founded the coalition accused the then incumbent government, led by the Law and Justice party, of causing an erosion of democracy in Poland. Wojciech Olejniczak
Wojciech Olejniczak
Wojciech Michał Olejniczak is a Polish leftist politician and member of the European Parliament.He was the chairman of the Democratic Left Alliance from May 29, 2005, to May 31, 2008 and the vice-speaker of Sejm since October 26, 2005...
, the chairman of Democratic Left Alliance, argued that the only true alternative to Law and Justice would be a coalition of the centre and left parties, alleging that Civic Platform, then the largest opposition party in the Polish Sejm, was too close politically to the Law and Justice Party.
The party's founding act also emphasized such elements as local government, Poland as part of an "open and modern Europe", protection of democratic institutions and separation of powers, opposition to a "closed" foreign policy, and support for pluralism and tolerance
Toleration
Toleration is "the practice of deliberately allowing or permitting a thing of which one disapproves. One can meaningfully speak of tolerating, ie of allowing or permitting, only if one is in a position to disallow”. It has also been defined as "to bear or endure" or "to nourish, sustain or preserve"...
as the hallmarks of a democratic society.
Platform
Parties creating the coalition decided to follow three main principles in the lead up to the 2006 local elections:- Civil and democratic local government – self-government authorities have to apply to their constitutional and legal principles completely and according to law. Powers of the local authority should be extended at the cost of the central – national authority.
- Solidary in local government - actions, which are performed by self-government authorities should be based on the rule of social solidarity, based on the tenet that all citizens should have access to essential public services.
- Clear and honest local government – local cliques, corruption, corrupt restrictions and violations of law in local government should be put to an end. Actions of the local authority should be clear and comprehensible to every citizen.
Candidates for Mayors
This table includes all candidates officially affiliated with, or supported by, the coalition in the 2006 local elections.| candidate | city | party | result (%) | result (votes) | position | other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marek Borowski Marek Borowski Marek Stefan Borowski is a Polish left-wing politician. He led the Democratic Left Alliance for a time and was Speaker of the Sejm from 2001 to 2004.... |
Warszawa | SDPL | 23.24% | 9889 | 3 | ---- |
| Jacek Majchrowski Jacek Majchrowski Prof. dr hab. Jacek Maria Majchrowski is the mayor of the Royal Capital City of Kraków, a lawyer and historian, and a professor at Jagiellonian University.-Biography:Majchrowski was born on 13 January 1947 in Sosnowiec... |
Kraków Kraków Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life... |
independent | 42.31% | 103157 | 1 | elected as mayor in the second runoff |
| Krzysztof Pusz | Gdańsk Gdansk Gdańsk is a Polish city on the Baltic coast, at the centre of the country's fourth-largest metropolitan area.The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay , in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, spa town of Sopot, and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the... |
PD | 5.12% | 8122 | 3 | ---- |
| Jacek Piechota Jacek Piechota Jacek Piechota is a Polish left-wing politician. He was the Minister of Economy from 2001 to 2003, under Prime Minister Leszek Miller, and again in 2005 under Prime Minister Marek Belka. Piechota was elected to the Sejm on September 25, 2005, receiving 17257 votes in 41 Szczecin district as a... |
Szczecin Szczecin Szczecin , is the capital city of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship in Poland. It is the country's seventh-largest city and the largest seaport in Poland on the Baltic Sea. As of June 2009 the population was 406,427.... |
SLD | 27.91% | 38059 | 2 | promoted to the second runoff |
| Andrzej Nowakowski | Poznań Poznan Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be... |
SLD | ---- | ---- | 4 | ---- |
| Izabella Sierakowska | Lublin Lublin Lublin is the ninth largest city in Poland. It is the capital of Lublin Voivodeship with a population of 350,392 . Lublin is also the largest Polish city east of the Vistula river... |
SDPL | 25.31% | 28777 | 1 | promoted to the second runoff |
| Krzysztof Makowski | Łódź | SLD | 23.33% | 51758 | 3 | ---- |
| Joanna Grzela | Kielce Kielce Kielce ) is a city in central Poland with 204,891 inhabitants . It is also the capital city of the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship since 1999, previously in Kielce Voivodeship... |
SLD | 20.65% | 13575 | 2 | ---- |
| Andrzej Namyslo | Opole Opole Opole is a city in southern Poland on the Oder River . It has a population of 125,992 and is the capital of the Upper Silesia, Opole Voivodeship and, also the seat of Opole County... |
SLD | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- |
| Tomasz Czajkowski | Wrocław | SLD | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- |
| Marek Szczerbowski | Katowice Katowice Katowice is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, on the Kłodnica and Rawa rivers . Katowice is located in the Silesian Highlands, about north of the Silesian Beskids and about southeast of the Sudetes Mountains.It is the central district of the Upper Silesian Metropolis, with a population of 2... |
SLD | 5.49% | 5323 | 4 | ---- |
| Janusz Kochan | Białystok | SLD | 9.67% | 8550 | 3 | ---- |
| Stanisław Szatkowski | Olsztyn Olsztyn Olsztyn is a city in northeastern Poland, on the Łyna River. Olsztyn has been the capital of the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship since 1999. It was previously in the Olsztyn Voivodeship... |
SLD | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- |
| Tadeusz Ferenc | Rzeszów Rzeszów Rzeszów is a city in southeastern Poland with a population of 179,455 in 2010. It is located on both sides of the Wisłok River, in the heartland of the Sandomierska Valley... |
SLD | 76.59% | 48131 | 1 | elected as mayor |
| Zbigniew Kosmaty | Piła | independent | 46.16% | 10577 | 1 | elected as mayor in the second runoff |
| Janusz Kubicki | Zielona Góra Zielona Góra Zielona Góra is a city in Lubusz Voivodeship, in western Poland, with 117,557 inhabitants within the city limits and 294,000 inhabitants within the metropolitan area, including three neighbouring counties .... |
SLD | ---- | ---- | ---- | elected as mayor in the second runoff |
| Tadeusz Jędrzejczak | Gorzów Wielkopolski Gorzów Wielkopolski Gorzów Wielkopolski is a city in western Poland, on the Warta river. It is the biggest city in the Lubusz Voivodeship with 125,149 inhabitants... |
independent | 50.6% | 18575 | 1 | elected as mayor |
| Kazimierz Górski | Sosnowiec Sosnowiec Sosnowiec is a city in Zagłębie Dąbrowskie in southern Poland, near Katowice. It is one of the central districts of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - a metropolis with a combined population of over two million people located in the Silesian Highlands, on the Brynica river .It is situated in... |
SLD | 51.00% | ---- | 1 | elected as mayor |
| Jan Szczęśniewski | Świętochłowice | SDPL | 8.15% | 1293 | 3 | ---- |
| Krzysztof Matyjaszczyk | Częstochowa Czestochowa Częstochowa is a city in south Poland on the Warta River with 240,027 inhabitants . It has been situated in the Silesian Voivodeship since 1999, and was previously the capital of Częstochowa Voivodeship... |
SLD | 20.83% | 14683 | 3 | ---- |
| Jerzy Balon | Bielsko-Biała Bielsko-Biała -Economy and Industry:Nowadays Bielsko-Biała is one of the best-developed parts of Poland. It was ranked 2nd best city for business in that country by Forbes. About 5% of people are unemployed . Bielsko-Biała is famous for its textile, machine-building, and especially automotive industry... |
SLD | 5.25% | 3038 | 5 | ---- |
| Krzysztof Wójcik | Bytom Bytom Bytom is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. The central-western district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - metropolis with the population of 2 millions. Bytom is located in the Silesian Highlands, on the Bytomka river .The city belongs to the Silesian Voivodeship since... |
SLD | 17.29% | 8178 | 3 | ---- |
| Marzena Dobrowolska | Gdynia Gdynia Gdynia is a city in the Pomeranian Voivodeship of Poland and an important seaport of Gdańsk Bay on the south coast of the Baltic Sea.Located in Kashubia in Eastern Pomerania, Gdynia is part of a conurbation with the spa town of Sopot, the city of Gdańsk and suburban communities, which together... |
SLD | 5.21% | 5009 | 3 | ---- |
| Henryk Słonina | Elbląg Elblag Elbląg is a city in northern Poland with 127,892 inhabitants . It is the capital of Elbląg County and has been assigned to the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship since 1999. Before then it was the capital of Elbląg Voivodeship and a county seat in Gdańsk Voivodeship... |
independent | 58.22% | 21977 | 1 | elected as mayor |
| Janusz Łapiński | Gliwice Gliwice Gliwice is a city in Upper Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. Gliwice is the west district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union – a metropolis with a population of 2 million... |
SLD | 12.03% | 6482 | 3 | ---- |
| Eugeniusz Ochryciuk | Łomża | independent | 2.70% | 530 | 7 | ---- |
| Zbigniew Jastrzębski | Sopot Sopot Sopot is a seaside town in Eastern Pomerania on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea in northern Poland, with a population of approximately 40,000.... |
SLD | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- |
| Sylwester Kwiecień | Starachowice Starachowice Starachowice is a town in south-central Poland with 55,126 inhabitants . Starachowice is situated in the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship ; it was formerly in the Kielce Voivodeship . It is the capital of Starachowice County... |
SLD | ---- | 5963 | 1 | promoted to the second runoff |
| Krzysztof Bazula | Tarnów Tarnów Tarnów is a city in southeastern Poland with 115,341 inhabitants as of June 2009. The city has been situated in the Lesser Poland Voivodeship since 1999, but from 1975 to 1998 it was the capital of the Tarnów Voivodeship. It is a major rail junction, located on the strategic east-west connection... |
SLD | 3.63% | 1378 | 6 | ---- |
| Jerzy Wereta | Zabrze Zabrze Zabrze is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. The west district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union is a metropolis with a population of around 2 million... |
SLD | ---- | 5172 | 5 | ---- |
| Zbigniew Podraza | Dąbrowa Górnicza Dabrowa Górnicza Dąbrowa Górnicza is a city in Zagłębie Dąbrowskie in southern Poland, nearby Katowice. The north-east district of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - metropolis with the population of almost 3 millions... |
SLD | ---- | ---- | ---- | elected as mayor in the second runoff |
| Kazimierz Zięba | Rybnik Rybnik Rybnik is a city in southern Poland, in the Silesian Voivodeship. Rybnik is located close to the border with the Czech Republic and just outside the southern border of the largest urban area in Poland, the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union... |
SDPL | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- |
| Sławomir Lis | Jastrzębie-Zdrój | SLD | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- |
| Edmund Stachowicz | Starogard Gdański Starogard Gdanski Starogard Gdański is a town in Eastern Pomerania in northwestern Poland with 48,328 inhabitants... |
SLD | 58.29% | ---- | 1 | elected as mayor |
Comparison of the Results of the 2006 Elections
| type of election | number of votes | % of votes | number of the elected | % of the elected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| to provincial assemblies | 1910009 | 14.25% | 66 | 11.76% |
| to district councils | ---- | 8.87% | 468 | 7.45% |
| to municipal councils | ---- | 8.78% | 1357 | 3.40% |
| for commune heads and mayors of towns and cities | ---- | ---- | 42 | 1.71% |
Polish parliamentary elections, 2007
Although the coalition was initially conceived as a temporary electoral alliance for the 2006 local elections, cooperation between the parties continued, and on January 18, 2007, a Political Negotiating Committee headed by former Polish President Aleksander KwaśniewskiAleksander Kwasniewski
Aleksander Kwaśniewski is a Polish politician who served as the President of Poland from 1995 to 2005. He was born in Białogard, and during communist rule he was active in the Socialist Union of Polish Students and was the Minister for Sport in the communist government in the 1980s...
was created, for the purpose of clarifying a common centre-left political program.
The members of the Political Negotiating Committee were:
- Aleksander Kwaśniewski, former President of Poland (non-party)
- Wojciech OlejniczakWojciech OlejniczakWojciech Michał Olejniczak is a Polish leftist politician and member of the European Parliament.He was the chairman of the Democratic Left Alliance from May 29, 2005, to May 31, 2008 and the vice-speaker of Sejm since October 26, 2005...
, Chairman of the Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) - Jerzy SzmajdzińskiJerzy SzmajdzinskiJerzy Andrzej Szmajdziński was a Polish politician who was a Vice-Marshal of Polish Sejm and previously served as Minister of Defence. He was a candidate for President of Poland in the 2010 election....
, Chairman of SLD Parliamentary Caucus (SLD) - Marek BorowskiMarek BorowskiMarek Stefan Borowski is a Polish left-wing politician. He led the Democratic Left Alliance for a time and was Speaker of the Sejm from 2001 to 2004....
, Chairman of Social Democracy (SDPL) - Waldemar WitkowskiWaldemar WitkowskiWaldemar Witkowski is a Polish left-wing politician, current leader of the Labour Union, and one of the leaders of the coalition Lewica i Demokraci . Since 2006 he is a member of the Greater Poland Regional Assembly.Witkowski was born in Poznań in 1953...
, Chairman of the Labour Union (UP) - Janusz OnyszkiewiczJanusz OnyszkiewiczJanusz Adam Onyszkiewicz is a Polish mathematician, alpinist, politician and was a vice-president of the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee from January 2007 until mid-2009.-Biographical note:...
, Chairman of the Democratic Party (PD)
LiD contested their first national elections
Polish parliamentary election, 2007
Early parliamentary elections for both houses of parliament were held in Poland on 21 October 2007 after the Sejm voted for its own dissolution on 7 September 2007. The election took place two years before the maximum tenure of four years, with the previous elections having been in September 2005...
in October, 2007. Aleksander Kwaśniewski led the campaign, as the nominal head of the coalition, and its candidate for Prime Minister. LiD managed to take 13.2% of the national vote, and 53 seats, therefore achieving third place after the Civic Platform & Law and Justice parties, respectively. Of the 53 seats gained, the SLD took 37 seats, SDPL took 10, PD took 1, whilst non-party candidates took 5 seats (3 candidates were affiliated with the SLD and 2 affiliated with PD). The 4th coalition partner, the UP, did not win any seats. LiD did not manage to elect any of its members to the upper house Senate. Following the elections, LiD was not invited to participate in the coalition of the victorious Civic Platform with the agrarian Polish People's Party (PSL). Nevertheless, LiD held some leverage in the new Sejm, as the government on occasion needed its votes to overturn presidential vetos on government legislation. Kwaśniewski announced his resignation from the leadership of LiD, following the outcome of the election.
LiD Parliamentary parliamentary group (2007-2008)
- Wojciech OlejniczakWojciech OlejniczakWojciech Michał Olejniczak is a Polish leftist politician and member of the European Parliament.He was the chairman of the Democratic Left Alliance from May 29, 2005, to May 31, 2008 and the vice-speaker of Sejm since October 26, 2005...
(SLD) - Parliamentary Chairman - Wacław Martyniuk (SLD) - Parliamentary Secretary
- Jerzy SzmajdzińskiJerzy SzmajdzinskiJerzy Andrzej Szmajdziński was a Polish politician who was a Vice-Marshal of Polish Sejm and previously served as Minister of Defence. He was a candidate for President of Poland in the 2010 election....
(SLD) - Vice-Marshall of the Sejm - Romuald Ajchler (SDPL)
- Leszek Aleksandrzak (SLD)
- Bartosz Arłukowicz (SDPL)
- Marek Balicki (SDPL)
- Anna Bańkowska (SDPL)
- Anita Błochowiak (SLD)
- Marek BorowskiMarek BorowskiMarek Stefan Borowski is a Polish left-wing politician. He led the Democratic Left Alliance for a time and was Speaker of the Sejm from 2001 to 2004....
(SDPL) - Andrzej CelińskiAndrzej CelinskiAndrzej Celiński is a Polish socialist politician, a prominent leader of the Democratic opposition to the communist regime, and after 1989, a member of the Sejm and Senate and Minister of Culture....
(SDPL) - Eugeniusz CzykwinEugeniusz CzykwinEugeniusz Czykwin is a Polish politician. He was elected to Sejm on September 25, 2005 getting 14181 votes in 24 Białystok district, candidating from Democratic Left Alliance list....
(SLD) - Marian Filar (independent, affiliated with PD)
- Tomasz GarbowskiTomasz GarbowskiTomasz Garbowski is a Polish politician. He was elected to Sejm on September 25, 2005 getting 7517 votes in 21 Opole district, candidating from Democratic Left Alliance list.-External links:...
(SLD) - Witold Gintowt-Dziewałtowski (SLD)
- Henryk Gołębiewski (SLD)
- Tadeusz IwińskiTadeusz IwinskiTadeusz Iwiński is a Polish politician. He was elected to Sejm on September 25, 2005 getting 9734 votes in 35 Olsztyn district, candidating from Democratic Left Alliance list...
(SLD) - Zdzisława Janowska (SDPL)
- Izabela Jaruga-NowackaIzabela Jaruga-NowackaIzabela Jaruga-Nowacka was a Polish political figure who had served in the national Parliament since 1993 and, in May 2004, rose to become Deputy Prime Minister under Prime Minister Marek Belka, serving until October 2005, while also, concurrently, filling in his cabinet, from November 2004 to...
(independent, affiliated with SLD) - Ryszard KaliszRyszard KaliszRyszard Kalisz is a Polish leftist politician and a member of the Democratic Left Alliance party. In early years he joined the Socialist Union of Polish Students, where he was deputy director of the Main Auditing Committee...
(SLD) - Tomasz Kamiński (SLD)
- Witold Klepacz (SLD)
- Jan Kochanowski (SLD)
- Sławomir Kopyciński (SLD)
- Bożena Kotkowska (SDPL)
- Janusz KrasońJanusz KrasonJanusz Krasoń is a Polish politician. He was elected to Sejm on September 25, 2005 getting 15,162 votes in 3 Wrocław district, candidating from Democratic Left Alliance list.He was also a member of Sejm 2001-2005.-External links:*...
(SLD) - Bogdan LisBogdan LisBogdan Lis is a Polish politician, known for his involvement with the anti-communist Solidarity social movement.Born in Gdańsk in 1952, he worked in Port of Gdańsk and Elmor company. Between 1971 and 1972 he was imprisoned for his participation in the anti-governmental coastal cities protests...
(PD) - Krystyna Łybacka (SLD)
- Zbigniew Matuszczak (SLD)
- Jarosław Matwiejuk (independent, affiliated with SLD)
- Krzysztof Matyjaszczyk (SLD)
- Henryk MilcarzHenryk MilcarzHenryk Milcarz is a Polish politician. He was elected to Sejm on September 25, 2005 getting 5251 votes in 33 Kielce district, candidating from Democratic Left Alliance list.-External links:...
(SLD) - Tadeusz Motowidło (SLD)
- Grzegorz NapieralskiGrzegorz NapieralskiGrzegorz Bernard Napieralski is a Polish left-wing politician and the current chairman of the Democratic Left Alliance and the party's candidate in the 2010 presidential election.-Education and political career:...
(SLD) - Artur OstrowskiArtur OstrowskiArtur Ostrowski is a Polish politician. He was elected to Sejm on September 25, 2005 getting 7043 votes in 10 Piotrków Trybunalski district, candidating from Democratic Left Alliance list.-External links:...
(SLD) - Grzegorz Pisalski (SDPL)
- Wojciech PomajdaWojciech PomajdaWojciech Pomajda is a Polish politician. He was elected to the Sejm on September 25, 2005 receiving 6622 votes in the 22nd Krosno district. Pomajda was the candidate of the party Democratic Left Alliance.-External links:...
(independent, affiliated with SLD) - Stanisława Prządka (SLD)
- Stanisław Rydzoń (SLD)
- Joanna SenyszynJoanna SenyszynJoanna Senyszyn is a Polish left-wing politician, vice-president of the Democratic Left Alliance and member of the European Parliament.- Political career :...
(SLD) - Izabella SierakowskaIzabella SierakowskaIzabella Antonina Sierakowska is a Polish politician and one of the leading and the most popular persons of the Polish left.She was born in Góra Śląska. Her parents, Krystyna and Zbigniew Kruszyńskis were a refugees from Vilnius. Zbigniew was a soldier, who fought in the Polish resistance during...
(SDPL) - Stanisław Stec (SLD)
- Elżbieta Streker-Dembińska (SLD)
- Wiesław Szczepański (SLD)
- Jolanta Szymanek-DereszJolanta Szymanek-DereszJolanta Dorota Szymanek-Deresz was a Polish lawyer and politician.Szymanek-Deresz was born in Przedbórz. She was elected to Sejm on September 25, 2005, getting 9,723 votes in 16 Płock district, as a candidate for the Democratic Left Alliance....
(SLD) - Tadeusz TomaszewskiTadeusz TomaszewskiTadeusz Tomaszewski is a Polish politician. He was elected to Sejm on September 25, 2005 getting 12213 votes in 37 Konin district, candidating from Democratic Left Alliance list.He was also a member of Sejm 1993-1997, Sejm 1997-2001, and Sejm 2001-2005....
(SLD) - Jerzy WenderlichJerzy WenderlichJerzy Wenderlich is a Polish politician. He was initially elected to Sejm in 1993, representing the Democratic Left Alliance, and was reelected in 1997, 2001, 2005 and 2007....
(SLD) - Jan Widacki (independent, affiliated with PD)
- Marek WikińskiMarek WikinskiMarek Wikiński is a Polish politician. He was elected to Sejm on September 25, 2005 getting 8671 votes in 17 Radom district, candidating from Democratic Left Alliance list....
(SLD) - Bogusław Wontor (SLD)
- Stanisław Wziątek (SLD)
- Ryszard ZbrzyznyRyszard ZbrzyznyRyszard Zbrzyzny is a Polish politician. He was elected to Sejm on September 25, 2005 getting 9644 votes in 1 Legnica district, candidating from Sojusz Lewicy Demokratycznej list....
(SLD) - Janusz ZemkeJanusz ZemkeJanusz Zemke is a Polish politician. He was elected to Sejm on September 25, 2005 getting 33672 votes in 4 Bydgoszcz district, candidating from Democratic Left Alliance list....
(SLD)
Dissolution
There were several factors which led to the collapse of the LiD alliance. One of the issues was the internal disappointment with the alliance's performance in the 2007 elections. Some groups within the leading SLD party perceived that the main beneficiaries of the alliance were the SDPL and PD parties, whilst the SLD parliamentary representation dropped from 55 to 40 seats, when compared to the 2005 election. In the view of this group, SLD could have performed just as well or better outside of LiD. Another issue was the ideological and policy differences between the left parties (SLD, SDPL, UP) and the centrist PD. Whilst the left were largely opposed to the proposed Missile Defence system project under negotiation between Poland and the U.S, the PD supported the move. The left also supported more liberal abortion laws and a more critical position of the Roman Catholic Church in Poland, whilst the PD had concerns with this direction. Furthermore, there were suspicions within the smaller parties (SDPL, PD) as to SLD's strength and domination of LiD, whilst many of SLD's rank and file members were unhappy with being in alliance with SDPL, which was an offshoot party created through a very public and divisive split within SLD in 2004.On the 29th March, 2008, SLD leader Wojciech Olejniczak
Wojciech Olejniczak
Wojciech Michał Olejniczak is a Polish leftist politician and member of the European Parliament.He was the chairman of the Democratic Left Alliance from May 29, 2005, to May 31, 2008 and the vice-speaker of Sejm since October 26, 2005...
, surprised his allies by issuing a media release announcing that the alliance between SLD and PD was over, as the SLD was unable to work with PD any longer. This essentially meant that the SLD was ejecting PD from the LiD alliance, without having consulted them or the other constituent LiD parties. This decision drew sharp criticism, not only from the PD, but also Aleksander Kwaśniewski, SDPL leader Marek Borowski
Marek Borowski
Marek Stefan Borowski is a Polish left-wing politician. He led the Democratic Left Alliance for a time and was Speaker of the Sejm from 2001 to 2004....
and even from within the SLD itself. Olejniczak was one of the architects of LiD and one of its strongest defenders within the SLD. Commentators of the Polish political scene generally explain the motivation of the course of action taken by Olejniczak and his supporters, as relating to the impending battle for the leadership of the party at the SLD June party conference, between Olejniczak himself and the party general-secretary, Grzegorz Napieralski
Grzegorz Napieralski
Grzegorz Bernard Napieralski is a Polish left-wing politician and the current chairman of the Democratic Left Alliance and the party's candidate in the 2010 presidential election.-Education and political career:...
, who dominated the SLD left-wing and was known for his LiD-sceptic views.
Although Olejniczak indicated his hope that the LiD parliamentary caucus would remain intact irrespective of the LiD/PD split, on April 1, the 3 PD parliamentarians left the LiD caucus, to form a separate parliamentary group. After the SDPL leadership consulted on how that party should respond to the crisis within LiD, Borowski announced his party's support for a resumption of talks between all parties, with the aim of rebuilding LiD, to the satisfaction of all parties concerned. This proposal was rejected by the SLD, and consequently, on the 19th April Borowski announced his party's withdrawal from LiD. On the 23rd April, 8 out of 10 SDPL's M.P's, left the LiD caucus, to form the separate grouping called SDPL-New Left (SDPL-Nowa Lewica). The remainder of LiD M.P's (40 from SLD and 2 from SDPL) renamed themselves "Lewica" - The Left, and the LiD alliance formally came to an end.