List of political parties in Poland

Political parties in Poland lists current political parties in Poland, as well as former parties dating back as far as 1918. Since 1989, Poland has a multi-party system, with numerous competing political parties. Individual parties rarely have a chance of gaining power alone, and usually work with other parties to form coalition governments.

The parties

Major political parties

Parties that received more than 5% of votes at either 2004 European Parliament elections or the 2007 general elections to Sejm and whital splinter groups:

Notes: ¹ 2004 European Parliament elections/ figure in parenthesis reflects initial number of seats won by party (if different to current number), prior to splits, defections etc.; ² SLD contested EP elections in alliance with Unia Pracy; ³EP elections contested by precursor party, Freedom Union; ⁴SLD, SDPL & PD contested the 2007 parliamentary elections jointly as LiD;

Minor political parties

Parties that received less than 5% of votes at both 2004 European Parliament elections and the 2007 general elections to Sejm:
* Catholic-National Movement ("Ruch Katolicko-Narodowy", RKN), (national conservative); leader: Antoni Macierewicz
* Centre Party ("Partia Centrum", PC) (christian democratic, centrism); leader: Janusz Steinhoff
* Communist Party of Poland ("Komunistyczna Partia Polski", KPP) (marxism-leninism); leader: Józef Łachut
* Confederation of Independent Poland ("Konfederacja Polski Niepodległej", KPN) (neo-Sanacja, nationalism); leader: Adam Słomka
* Democratic Party ("Stronnictwo Demokratyczne", SD) (social democratic, social liberal); leader: Krzysztof Góralczyk
* Labour Union ("Unia Pracy", UP) (social democratic); leader: Waldemar Witkowski
* Movement for the Reconstruction of Poland ("Ruch Odbudowy Polski", ROP) (conservative, eurosceptic); leader: Jan Olszewski
* National Party of Retirees and Pensioners ("Krajowa Partia Emerytów i Rencistów", KPEiR) (social democratic, social liberal); leader: Tomasz Mamiński
* National People's Movement ("Ruch Ludowo-Narodowy"), (christian democratic, eurosceptic, national conservative); leader: Bogusław Kowalski
* National Revival of Poland ("Narodowe Odrodzenie Polski", NOP) (corporatism, nationalism); leader: Adam Gmurczyk
* Polish Agreement ("Porozumienie Polskie") (national conservative); leader: Jan Łopuszański
* Polish National Community ("Polska Wspólnota Narodowa", PWN) (nationalism, anti-clerical, antisemitism, racism); leader: Bolesław Tejkowski
* Polish National Party ("Polska Partia Narodowa", PPN) (nationalism, antisemitism, chauvinism); leader: Leszek Bubel
* Polish Socialist Party ("Poska Partia Socjalistyczna", PPS); (democratic socialist, social democratic) leader: Bogusław Gorski
* Polish Labour Party ("Polska Partia Pracy", PPP); (democratic socialist, anti-globalism, syndicalism) leader: Mirosław Ziętek
* New Left ("Nowa Lewica", NL); (democratic socialist, trotskyism, anti-globalism) leader: Piotr Ikonowicz
* Reason Party ("RACJA Polskiej Lewicy", RACJA PL) (anti-clerical, social democratic); leader: Jan Barański
* Republic Right Party ("Prawica Rzeczypospolitej", PRz) (conservative); leader: Marek Jurek
* Union of the Left ("Unia Lewicy", UL) (social democratic); leader: Piotr Musiał
* Union of Real Politics ("Unia Polityki Realnej", UPR) (conservative liberal, liberal conservative, libertarian); leader: Bolesław Witczak
* Women's Party ("Partia Kobiet", PK) (feminist); leader: Manuela Gretkowska
* Greens 2004 ("Zieloni 2004") (green politics, feminist, social democratic); leader: Magdalena Mosiewicz, Dariusz Szwed

Overview

The transition from a mono-party Communist regime to democracy and pluralism resulted in new political parties mushrooming in the early 1990s. After the first free parliamentary elections in 1991 seats in the Sejm were divided among more than a dozen different parties (amongst them such curiosities as "Polska Partia Przyjaciół Piwa" ("Polish Party of the Beer Admirers"), lead by a popular Polish comedy actor, Janusz Rewiński). The existence of so many parties in the Sejm was seen by many as being counter-productive towards the effectiveness of the parliament and a hindrance towards producing stable governments. Consequently electoral reform was undertaken and an electoral threshold for the Lower House was instituted, prior to the 1993 elections. The set threshold, required a minimum vote of 5% for parties (with exemptions for ethnic minority parties) and 8% for electoral coalitions. The threshold was set at the national, rather than divisional levels, and had the effect of preventing a large number of minor parties from winning seats in later elections. The threshold also prevented independent candidates from gaining election to the Sejm. Since 1990, the left side of the political scene has generally been dominated by former Communists turned "Social Democrats". The right has largely comprised (former) Solidarity activists and supporters, but experienced deep divisions from the beginning, and showed less cohesiveness than the left. The right were unable to create a single bloc which could act as a lasting counterweight to the left-wing monolith, but instead, kept merging, splitting and renaming. Even so, the parties of the right did manage to win government again from 1997-2001 (having initially governed from 1989-93).

Since the parliamentary elections of 2005, the right wing parties have dominated the political scene, and appear to be in their strongest position to date. Two important developments in the political landscape have taken place since 2005. Firstly, the SLD (ex-communist) party is no longer the major, or one of the two major parties. Secondly, the main political battleground is no longer between the ex-Solidarity right verses the ex-Communist left. This can be observed through the cooperation of parties such as the Democratic Party with the SLD (see Left and Democrats), the bitter rivalry between right wing parties Law and Justice and Civic Platform, as well as the impact of several controversial parties such as League of Polish Families and Self-Defense of the Republic of Poland on the political scene (both in Sejm from 2001-07). It is worth noting that the general public disapproval of politics and politicians as a whole, has resulted in almost all major parties excluding the very word "party" from their names, replacing it with words less associated with politics, such as "union", "platform", "league" or "alliance".

Alphabetical list of all political parties and organizations (after 1989)

This is a list of political organizations registered in Poland as political parties, societies, foundations, trade unions, electoral committees, electoral alliances and informal groups:

*Akcja Wyborcza Solidarność (AWS) - Solidarity Electoral Action
*Akcja Wyborcza Solidarność Prawicy (AWS-P) - Solidarity Electoral Action of the Right
*Chrześcijańska Demokracja (ChD) - Christian Democracy
*Chrześcijańsko-Demokratyczne Stronnictwo Pracy (ChDSP) - Christian-Democratic Labour Party
*Chrześcijańsko-Demokratyczne Stronnictwo 'Zjednoczenie' (ChDS'Z') - Christian-Democratic Party 'Unity'
*Chrześcijańska Partia Pracy (ChD) - Christian Labour Party
*Chrześcijański Ruch Obywatelski (ChRO) - Christian Citizens' Movement
*Chrześcijańskie Stowarzyszenie Społeczne (ChSS) - Christian Social Association
*Forum Prawicy Demokratycznej (FDP) - Democratic Right Forum
*Frakcja Prawicy Demokratycznej (FDP) - Democratic Right Faction
*Klub Inteligencji Katolickiej (KIK) - Catholic Intellectuals Club
*Kongres Liberalno-Demokratyczny (KLD) - Liberal-Democratic Congress
*Komitet Obywatelski 'Solidarność' (KO 'S') Citizens' Committee 'Solidarity'
*Komunistyczna Partia Polski (KPP) - Communist Party of Poland
*Konfederacja Polski Niepodległej (KPN) - Confederation of Independent Poland
*Krajowy Komitet Obywatelski (KKO) - National Citizens Committee
*Lewica i Demokraci (LiD) - Left and Democrats
*Liga Polskich Rodzin (LPR) - League of Polish Families, see also Liga i Samoobrona (LiS)
*Narodowe Odrodzenie Polski (NOP) - National Revival of Poland
*(Niezależna) Polska Partia Socjalistyczna ((N)PPS) - (Independent) Polish Socialist Party
*Niezależne Zrzeszenie Studentów (NZS) - Independent Students' Association
*Niezależny Samorządny Związek Zawodowy 'Solidarność' (NSZZ"S") - Independent Self-Governing Trade Union "Solidarity"
*Niezależny Samorządny Związek Zawodowy Solidarność'80 (NSZZ"S'80") - Independent Self-Governing Trade Union "Solidarity '80"
*Niezależny Samorządny Związek Zawodowy Rolników Indywidualnych 'Solidarność' (NSZZ"S") - Independent Self-Governing Trade Union of Independent Farmers "Solidarity"
*Obywatelski Klub Parlamentarny (OKP) - Citizen's Parliamentarian Caucus
*Odrodzona Polska Partia Socjalistyczna (OPPS) - Revived Polish Socialist Party
*Ogólnopolskie Porozumienie Związków Zawodowych (OPZZ) - All-Polish Agreement of the Trade Unions
* [http://adnikiel.republika.pl/ Organizacja Monarchistów Polskich] Organization of Polish Monarchists
*Partia Centrum (Centrum) - Centrum Party
*Partia Chrześcijańskich Demokratów (PChD) - Christian Democrats Party
*Partia Demokratyczna - demokraci.pl (PD) Democratic Party - democrats.pl
*Polska Partia Pracy (PPP) - Polish Labour Party
*Polska Partia Przyjaciół Piwa (PPPP) - Polish Beer-Lovers' Party
*Polska Partia Socjaldemokratyczna (PPS) - Polish Social-Democratic Party
*Polska Partia Socjalistyczna (PPS) - Polish Socialist Party
*Polska Partia Socjalistyczna - Rewolucja Demokratyczna (PPS-RD) - Polish Socialist Party - Democratic Revolution
*Polska Unia Socialdemokratyczna (PUS) - Polish Social-Democratic Union
*Polski Związek Katolicko-Społeczny (PZKS) - Polish Catholic-Social Union
*Polskie Forum Chrześcijańsko-Demokratyczne (PFChD) - Polish Christian-Democratic Forum
*Polskie Stronnictwo Ludowe 'Mikołajczykowskie' (PSL'M') - Polish Peasant's Party 'Mikolajczyk'
*Polskie Stronnictwo Ludowe 'Odrodzenie' (PSL'O') - Polish Peasant's Party 'Revival'
*Polskie Stronnictwo Ludowe 'Solidarność' (PSL) - Polish Peasant's Party 'Solidarity'
*Platforma Obywatelska (PO) - Civic Platform
*Platforma Janusza Korwin-Mikke (PJKM) - Platform of Janusz Korwin-Mikke
*Porozumienie Centrum (PC) - Centre Agreement
*Porozumienie Obywatelskie Centrum (POC) - Citizen's Centre Agreement
*Porozumienie Ludowe (PL) - Peasants Agreement
*Prawo i Sprawiedliwość (PiS) - Law and Justice
*RACJA Polskiej Lewicy (RACJA PL) - Reason Party
*Ruch Demokratyczno-Społeczny (RDS) - Democratic-Social Movement
*Ruch Ludzi Pracy (RPL) - Labour People Movement
*Ruch Obywatelski Akcja Demokratyczna (ROAD) - Citizens' Movement Democratic Action
*Samoobrona - Self Defence, see also Liga i Samoobrona (LiS)
*Sojusz Lewicy Demokratycznej (SLD) - Democratic Left Alliance
*Socjaldemokracja Polska (SDPL) - Polish Social Democracy
*Socjaldemokracja Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej (SdRP) - Social Democracy of Republic of Poland
*Solidarność Pracy (SP) - Labour Solidarity
*Stowarzyszenie PAX (PAX) - PAX Society
*Stronnictwo Demokratyczne (SD) - Democratic Party
*Stronnictwo Konserwatywno-Ludowe (SKL) - Conservative People's Party
*Stronnictwo Narodowe (SN) - National Party
*Stronnictwo Narodowo-Demokratyczne (SND) - National-Democratic Party
*Stronnictwo Wierności Rzeczypospolitej (SWRP) - Party of Republican Loyalty
*Unia Chrześcijańsko-Społeczna (UChS) - Christian-Social Union
*Unia Demokratyczna (UD) - Democratic Union
*Unia Lewicy (UL) - Left Union
*Unia Socjaldemokratyczna RP (USdRP) - Social-Democratic Union of Republic of Poland
*Unia Polityki Realnej (UPR) - Real Politics Union
*Unia Pracy (UP) - Labour Union
*Unia Wolności (UW) - Freedom Union
*Wyborcza Akcja Katolicka (WAK) - Catholic Election Action
*Zieloni 2004 - Greens 2004
*Zjednoczenie Chrześcijańsko-Narodowe (ZChN) - Christian-National Union
*Związek Komunistów Polskich 'Proletariat' (ZKP'P') - Polish Communists Union 'Proletariat'

Underground political organization in Poland 1945-1989

* Konfederacja Polski Niepodległej (KPN) - Confederation for Independent Poland
* Komitet Obrony Robotników (KOR) - Workers Defence Committee
* Ruch Obrony Praw Człowieka i Obywatela (ROPCiO) - Movement for Defense of Human and Civic Rights
* Ruch Polityki Realnej (RPR) - Real Politics Movement
* Wolność i Niezawisłość (WiN) - Freedom and Independence
* Wolność i Pokój (WiP) - Freedom and Peace ()

Official political parties and organizations in the "People's Republic of Poland" 1948-1989

* parties
**Polska Zjednoczona Partia Robotnicza (PZPR) - Polish United Workers' Party (marxist-leninist)
**Stronnictwo Demokratyczne (SD) - Democratic Party (centrist, communist controlled)
**Zjednoczone Stronnictwo Ludowe (ZSL) - United Peasants' Party (agrarian, communist controlled)

* organizations
**Front Jedności Narodu (FJN) - precursor of PRON
**Patriotyczny Ruch Odrodzenia Narodowego (PRON) - National Renaissance Patriotic Movement (consisted of PZPR, SD and ZSL members)
**Stowarzyszenie PAX - "PAX" Association (catholic and nationalist, communist controlled)
**Związek Młodzieży Socjalistycznej (ZMS) - Socialist Youth Union (youth faction of PZPR) ()
**Związek Socjalistycznej Młodzieży Polskiej (ZSMP) - Polish Socialist Youth Union (youth faction of PZPR)
**Związek Młodzieży Wiejskiej (ZMW) - Rural Youth Union (youth faction of ZSL) ()

Official political parties in Poland 1945-1948

* Polska Partia Robotnicza (PPR) - Polish Worker's Party (communist)
* Polska Partia Socjalistyczna (PPS) - Polish Socialist Party
* Stronnictwo Ludowe (SL) - Peasants/People's Party (agrarian, pro-communist)
* Polskie Stronnictwo Ludowe - Polish People's Party (agrarian, anti-communist)
* Stronnictwo Demokratyczne - Democratic Party (centrist)

Political parties in the Second Polish Republic 1918 - 1939

* Agudath Israel
* Blok Mniejszosci Narodowych - Bloc of National Minorities
* Bund (General Jewish Labor Union)
* Centrolew – "Center-left" coalition of parties.
* Chjeno-Piast
* Chrześcijańska Demokracja (ChD)
* Folkspartei (Jewish People's Party, 'Folkists')
* Sanacja - Sanation (meant to "restore health" to the body politic: authoritarian, centrist)
** Bezpartyjny Blok Współpracy z Rządem BBWR - Non-Party Bloc of Cooperation with the Government (organization of Sanacja)
** Obóz Zjednoczenia Narodowego - OZN ("Ozon", continuation of BBWR, nationalist)
* Narodowa Demokracja ND ("Endecja") - National Democracy (nationalist).
** Związek Ludowo-Narodowy ZLN - People-National Union
** Stronnictwo Narodowe SN - National Party
* Obóz Narodowo-Radykalny ONR - National-Radical Camp (extreme-right).
** Obóz Narodowo-Radykalny Falanga or Falanga
* Polskie Stronnictwo Ludowe PSL - Polish People's Party (agrarians)
** Polskie Stronnictwo Ludowe "Piast"
** Polskie Stronnictwo Ludowe "Wyzwolenie"
* Polska Partia Socjalistyczna PPS - Polish Socialist Party (socialist)
** Polska Partia Socjalistyczna - Frakcja Rewolucyjna
** Polska Partia Socjalistyczna - Lewica
* Komunistyczna Partia Polski KPP - Communist Party of Poland (communist, illegal)
* Narodowa Partia Robotnicza NPR (Polish Wikipedia article)
* Polskie Stronnictwo Chrześcijańskiej Demokracji PSChD
* Stronnictwo Chłopskie SCh
* Stronnictwo Ludowe SL
* Stronnictwo Pracy SP
* Związek Chłopski ZCh (Polish Wikipedia article)

Political parties existing prior to 1918

* Social Democracy of the Kingdom of Poland and Lithuania (Socjaldemokracja Krolestwa Polskiego i Litwy, SDKPiL)
* Stronnictwo Narodowo-Demokratyczne
* Polska Partia Socjalistyczna

Further reading

* Dariusz Cecuda, "Leksykon Opozycji Politycznej 1976-1989", BIS Trust, Warszawa 1989
* Małgorzata Dehnel-Szyc, Jadwiga Stachura, "Gry polityczne. Orientacje na dziś", Oficyna Wydawnicza Volument, Warszawa 1991
* Piotr Frączak (e.d), "Gorączka czasu przełomu. Dokumenty ugrupowań radykalnych 1989-1990", Instytut Studiów Politycznych Polskiej Akademii Nauk, Wydawnictwo Adam Marszałek, Warszawa 1984
* Inka Słodkowska (ed.), Programy partii i ugrupowań parlamentarnych 1989-1991' vol.1-2, Instytut Studiów Politycznych Polskiej Akademii Nauk, Warszawa 1995

ee also

* Index of political parties to browse parties by name
* List of political parties to browse parties by country
* List of political parties by ideology to browse parties by name
* Membership of internationals to browse parties by membership of internationals
* List of politicians in Poland
* Timeline of liberal parties in Poland
* Radio Maryja