Waldemar Witkowski
Encyclopedia
Waldemar Witkowski is a Polish
left-wing politician
, current leader of the Labour Union
, and one of the leaders of the coalition Lewica i Demokraci (Left and the Democrats) (of which the Labour Union is part). Since 2006 he is a member of the Greater Poland Regional Assembly
.
Witkowski was born in Poznań
in 1953. He is married and has two children: a daughter, Monika, and son, Maciej. Witkowski is also a notable cooperation movement activist.
He was a member of the Polish United Workers' Party
from 1976 until the party dissolved itself in 1990. Then he joined the Labour Union, and quickly rose to become one of the union's leaders in Greater Poland Voivodeship
.
Witkowski served as an honorary member of the executive body of the re-election campaign of President Aleksander Kwaśniewski
in 2000 (when the Labour Union supported Kwaśniewski).
The Labour Union and Democratic Left Alliance
(SLD) formed a coalition prior to the 2001 parliamentary elections. Witkowski served as one of the coalition's campaign leaders, although he didn't run himself for the Sejm
or the Senate.
From 2001 to 2005, he was first deputy of the Greater Poland Voivode. In the 2005 presidential election, he supported Marek Borowski
. Since the 2006 local elections
, however, Witkowski has been a member of the Greater Poland Regional Assembly
.
He was elected a leader of the Labour Union on February 25, 2006. The Labour Union, the Democratic Left Alliance, the Social Democrats of Poland (SdPl) and the Polish Democratic Party
(PD) formed the LiD coalition in 2006, just prior to the impending local government elections. Witkowski became one of the joint leaders of the new grouping alongside Wojciech Olejniczak
of SLD, Janusz Onyszkiewicz
of PD, Marek Borowski of SdPl and former President Kwaśniewski.
Witkowski contested the October 2007 parliamentary elections, as a LiD candidate in the district of Poznan
. However, despite being No. 2 on the party list, he did not manage to gain enough votes for election to the Sejm
(lower chamber of parliament).
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...
left-wing politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, current leader of the Labour Union
Labour 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....
, and one of the leaders of the coalition Lewica i Demokraci (Left and the Democrats) (of which the Labour Union is part). Since 2006 he is a member of the Greater Poland Regional Assembly
Greater Poland Regional Assembly
The Greater Poland Regional Assembly is the regional legislature of the voivodeship of Greater Poland, Poland. It is a unicameral body consists of thirty-nine councillors elected in free elections for a 4-year term...
.
Witkowski was born in 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...
in 1953. He is married and has two children: a daughter, Monika, and son, Maciej. Witkowski is also a notable cooperation movement activist.
He was a member of the Polish United Workers' Party
Polish United Workers' Party
The Polish United Workers' Party was the Communist party which governed the People's Republic of Poland from 1948 to 1989. Ideologically it was based on the theories of Marxism-Leninism.- The Party's Program and Goals :...
from 1976 until the party dissolved itself in 1990. Then he joined the Labour Union, and quickly rose to become one of the union's leaders in Greater Poland Voivodeship
Greater Poland Voivodeship
Wielkopolska Voivodeship , or Greater Poland Voivodeship, is a voivodeship, or province, in west-central Poland. It was created on 1 January 1999 out of the former Poznań, Kalisz, Konin, Piła and Leszno Voivodeships, pursuant to the Polish local government reforms adopted in 1998...
.
Witkowski served as an honorary member of the executive body of the re-election campaign of President Aleksander Kwaśniewski
Aleksander 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...
in 2000 (when the Labour Union supported Kwaśniewski).
The Labour Union and Democratic Left Alliance
Democratic Left Alliance
Democratic 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) formed a coalition prior to the 2001 parliamentary elections. Witkowski served as one of the coalition's campaign leaders, although he didn't run himself for 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 ....
or the Senate.
From 2001 to 2005, he was first deputy of the Greater Poland Voivode. In the 2005 presidential election, he supported 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....
. Since the 2006 local elections
Polish local elections, 2006
The 2006 Polish local elections were held in two parts. with its first round on November 12 and the second on November 26, 2006. In the election's first round, voters chose 39,944 gmina councillors, 6,284 powiat councillors and 561 deputies to provincial voivodeship sejmiks...
, however, Witkowski has been a member of the Greater Poland Regional Assembly
Greater Poland Regional Assembly
The Greater Poland Regional Assembly is the regional legislature of the voivodeship of Greater Poland, Poland. It is a unicameral body consists of thirty-nine councillors elected in free elections for a 4-year term...
.
He was elected a leader of the Labour Union on February 25, 2006. The Labour Union, the Democratic Left Alliance, the Social Democrats of Poland (SdPl) and the Polish Democratic Party
Democratic Party (Poland)
The Democratic Party is a Polish centrist party. The party faced a revival in 2009, when it was joined by liberal politician Paweł Piskorski, formerly member of Civic Platform.-History:The party was established on April 15, 1939...
(PD) formed the LiD coalition in 2006, just prior to the impending local government elections. Witkowski became one of the joint leaders of the new grouping alongside 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...
of SLD, Janusz Onyszkiewicz
Janusz Onyszkiewicz
Janusz 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:...
of PD, Marek Borowski of SdPl and former President Kwaśniewski.
Witkowski contested the October 2007 parliamentary elections, as a LiD candidate in the district of Poznan
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...
. However, despite being No. 2 on the party list, he did not manage to gain enough votes for election to 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 ....
(lower chamber of parliament).