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Election Date: September 25, 2005

At Stake: Parliament

Background

(Angus Reid Global Scan) - An independent Poland was established at the end of World War I, with marshall Jozef Pilsudski as the country's first head of state. Pilsudski would remain in charge the government until his death in 1935.

In 1939, Germany invaded Poland, marking the start of World War II. The occupying Nazi forces built concentration camps, enacting the systematic extermination of all Jews under a policy denominated as "Final Solution." Official figures estimate that six million Jews were killed during the Holocaust. The global conflict ended in 1945, and would see Poland losing some of its traditional territory to the Soviet Union, while gaining some from Germany.

In the 1947 elections, which were deemed undemocratic by western powers, the Polish Workers' Party (PPR) became the top political force, and established a communist regime under Wladyslaw Gomulka and Boleslaw Bierut. Edward Gierek would take over as the de-facto leader in 1970.

In 1980, a dispute in a Gdansk shipyard led to the formation of the Solidarity trade union. Leader Lech Walesa would be imprisoned one year later—along with many other Solidarity supporters—after the country imposed martial law. Gierek was replaced by Stanislaw Kania as party leader, and in 1982, Wojciech Jaruzelski took over with the backing of a military council.

Solidarity's leaders would be released in 1985, and three years later, the government formally acknowledged the trade union. In 1989, negotiations between Solidarity, the Catholic Church and the Polish government establish a timetable for democratic elections. Following the ballot, Solidarity's leaders joined a coalition government headed by Tadeusz Mazowiecki. Walesa would win the presidential election in 1990.

In 1993, the Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) became the largest party in the Diet, and formed a coalition administration with Waldemar Pawlak of the Peasant's Party (PSL) as prime minister. In 1995, Pawlak was replaced by the SLD's Jozef Oleksy.

Former Communist leader Aleksander Kwasniewski defeated Walesa in the 1995 presidential election. Kwasniewski would go on to win a second consecutive term in the 2000 ballot.

The 1997 legislative election was dominated by the Electoral Action Solidarity (AWS) and the Freedom Union (UW), resulting in a government headed by Jerzy Buzek. In September 2001, the Democratic Left Alliance-Labour Union (SLD-UP) emerged victorious with 41 per cent of the vote and 216 lawmakers in the lower house. SLD leader Leszek Miller headed a new government with the Peasant's Party (PSL).

In March 2003, the coalition split after PSL members refused to support the government on a tax proposal. In June, Polish adults vote in favour of accession to the European Union (EU). After the country officially joined the EU in May 2004, Miller stepped down as prime minister.

SLD member Marek Belka was appointed as prime minister by Kwasniewski, and was ratified by the Diet in June 2004.

In 2003, Poland joined the United States-led coalition effort in Iraq. In May 2005, the country had 1,700 soldiers in central Iraq, as part of a multinational force of about 4,700 troops. In all, 17 soldiers from Poland have lost their lives during the conflict.

In March 2004, Kwasniewski said Poland was "misled" into the war, but added that Iraq today "is a much better place than Iraq with Saddam Hussein." In April 2005, defence minister Jerzy Szmajdzinski said Poland would withdraw its troops from Iraq at the end of the year, when the current mandate expires. Szmajdzinski added that the mission could be extended if the United Nations (UN) Security Council or the Iraqi government request Poland to keep the troops in place.

2005 Parliament Election

On May 18, Polish president Aleksander Kwasniewski announced that the election to renew the two houses of Parliament would take place on Sept. 25.

An April CBOS poll put the Law and Justice Party (PiS) in first place with 24 per cent, followed by the Civic Platform (PO) with 20 per cent, the Self-Defence of the Polish Republic (SRP) with 14 per cent, the League of Polish Families (LPR) with 10 per cent, and Social Democracy of Poland (SDP) with five per cent. The governing Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) was sixth with four per cent.

PiS leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski has openly suggested a coalition government with the PO's Jan Rokita if the two parties can secure a majority of the Diet's seats.

In June, Poland's unemployment rate was 18 per cent—the highest in the 25-nation European Union (EU).

In July, PiS presidential candidate Lech Kaczynski said he would veto a PO fiscal proposal if he becomes Poland's head of state in the October ballot. PO leader Rokita said his party's plan to implement a 15 per cent value added tax remains a top priority.

On Aug. 12, former president Lach Walesa said the EU had been a mixed blessing, declaring, "Polish politicians have used EU membership for their own parties' particular interests instead of using all opportunities to gain the best possible opinion in the EU, and thus secure a stronger position and more impact on EU decisions."

In August, PO secretary Grzegorz Schetyna said the political organization would crack down on soccer match-fixing by "eliminating all individuals who participated in corruption from the sport permanently and relegating all teams who engage in the act to the lowest league."

August surveys conducted by TNS OBOP, CBOS, PBS Sopot, Ipsos and PGB suggested the PO and the PiS would secure a majority of the seats in the Diet.

On Aug. 22, PO parliamentary leader Rokita and PiS counterpart Kaczynski discussed the possibility of a coalition administration after the election. The two politicians pledged to come to an agreement on domestic and fiscal policies, constitutional amendments and specific actions to lower the country's budget deficit, tabled at $2.6 billion U.S.

On Sept. 6, Rokita said he hoped to lower the tax burden once a centre-right administration is in place, but conceded that the process "will not be an easy one." Rokita added that his party seeks to cancel the inheritance tax and the forest tax.

On Sept. 19, Kaczynski said his party disagrees with the PO on the single European currency, declaring, "We don't see any benefits in adopting the euro. Euro adoption would lead to lower exports, lower national income and higher unemployment." The PO has signalled its intention to implement the currency by 2009 or 2010.

September surveys by TNS OBOP, PGB, GfK and PBS Sopot all suggested a victory for the PO with 24 to 38 per cent of the vote, followed by the PiS with 20 to 29 per cent.

Voting took place on Sept. 25. Preliminary results from exit polls gave the Law and Justice Party (PiS) 27.8 per cent of the vote, followed by the Civic Platform (PO) with 24.1 per cent. PiS leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski said he expected to become the country's new head of government, declaring, "The agreement was that whoever wins the election has the prime minister post, and then this applies to me as the head of the winning party."

Voting took place on Sept. 25. Final results gave the Law and Justice Party (PiS) 26.9 per cent of the vote and 155 lawmakers, followed by the Civic Platform (PO) with 24.1 per cent and 133 legislators. PiS leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski said his party would decide the country's new head of government, declaring, "The agreement was that whoever wins the election has the prime minister post, and then this applies to me as the head of the winning party."

No sitting government has been re-elected in Poland since the fall of the communist regime. Turnout was tabled at 40.57 per cent.

On Sept. 28, the PiS nominated economic expert Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz as its candidate for prime minister. By selecting the 45-year-old Marcinkiewicz, the party seeks to speed coalition talks with the PO. Jaroslaw Kaczynski explained the party's rationale, saying, "Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz is well-prepared to deal with economic issues, which were a source of dispute between us and Civic Platform. This dispute must be settled."

On Oct. 19, Belka tendered his resignation as prime minister. President Kwasniewski asked Marcinkiewicz to assemble a new administration.

On Oct. 31, Marcinkiewicz was sworn in as prime minister. His cabinet features foreign minister Stefan Meller, defence minister Radoslaw Sikorski, finance minister Teresa Lubinska, and interior minister Ludwik Dorn. On Nov. 10, the new government won a confidence motion in a 272-187 vote.

Political Players

President: Aleksander Kwasniewski - SLD
Prime minister: Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz - PiS

The president is elected to a five-year term by popular vote.

Legislative Branch: The Parlament (Parliament) has two chambers. The Sejm (Diet) has 460 members, elected to four-year terms by proportional representation in multi-seat constituencies. A party must receive 5 per cent of the vote—and a coalition 8 per cent—to elect members. The Senat (Senate) has 100 members elected to four-year terms in 40 multi-seat constituencies.

Results of Last Election:

President - Oct. 8, 2000

Diet - Sept. 25, 2005

Senate - Sept. 25, 2005

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