Party
|
Leader
|
Ideology
|
European affiliation
|
Founded
|
Dissolved
|
Comments
|
|
|
Solidarity Citizens' Committee Komitet Obywatelski "Solidarność"
|
KO "S"
|
Bronisław Geremek
|
Big tent Anti-communism Liberal democracy
|
|
1989
|
1991
|
Initially a semi-legal political organisation of the democratic opposition in Communist Poland. In the partially-free 1989 election KO "S" won all 161 seats available in the Sejm, and 99 out of 100 seats in the senate. On 25 August 1989, the new "Contract Sejm" elected its candidate Tadeusz Mazowiecki as Prime Minister, making him the first ever non-Communist head of government east of the Iron Curtain. Shortly afterwards, the Committee broke up into several smaller parties.
|
|
|
Christian National Union Zjednoczenie Chrześcijańsko-Narodowe
|
ZChN
|
Wiesław Chrzanowski
|
National Catholicism National conservatism Christian democracy
|
|
1989
|
2010
|
Party formed by Catholic politicians of KO "S". In 1991 election it took 3rd place, winning 8.74% and introducing 49 MPs. ZChN was a member of two government coalitions. In 1993 the party did not cross electoral threshold and in 1997 it became member of AWS. In 2001 most of ZChN activists joined LPR or PiS. Party lost its former significance.
|
|
|
Social Democracy of the Republic of Poland Socjaldemokracja Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej
|
SdRP
|
Aleksander Kwaśniewski
|
Social democracy Third Way Progressivism
|
SI
|
1990
|
1999
|
Party was formed after the dissolution of communist PZPR. In 1991 it created the left-wing SLD coalition. In the election held this year it won 11.99% of the votes, taking second place. Two years later SLD won election and in 1995 Aleksander Kwaśniewski became president. In 1997 the party lost power. In 1999 SdRP co-founded a unified party SLD and dissolved itself.
|
|
|
Party of Regions Partia Regionów
|
PR
|
Bolesław Borysiuk
|
Agrarianism Socialism Regionalism
|
|
2007
|
2017
|
Party that seceded from Self-Defence of the Republic of Poland following its electoral down in the 2007 elections. The party strongly supported regionalism, intending to revive local and regional traditions and patriotism. The party envisioned a decentralised Poland full of "regional, small homelands". PR cooperated with left-wing parties such as the Democratic Left Alliance and the Polish Socialist Party. The party won 38 councillor seats in the 2010 Polish local elections, but never entered the national Sejm. The party was deregistered in early 2017.
|
|
|
Centre Agreement Porozumienie Centrum
|
PC
|
Jarosław Kaczyński
|
Anti-communism Centrism Christian democracy
|
EDU
|
1990
|
2001
|
Party founded in 1990, demanded a break with previous policy of the government of Tadeusz Mazowiecki, who was accused of leaving the remains of communism too slowly. PC candidate Lech Wałęsa won the presidential election, but later on he got into conflict with the party. In 1991, PC received 8.71% of the votes, introducing 44 MPs, but in 1993 only 4.42% (below the electoral threshold). In 1997 party started from AWS and ROP lists, introducing 15 MPs. In 2001 PC was transformed into the currently ruling PiS.
|
|
|
Citizens' Movement for Democratic Action Ruch Obywatelski Akcja Demokratyczna
|
ROAD
|
Władysław Frasyniuk
|
Market socialism Social conservatism
|
|
1990
|
1991
|
Party was founded in response to creation of PC by Jarosław Kaczyński. In 1990 presidential election it supported candidacy of Tadeusz Mazowiecki, who took 3rd place. In 1991, ROAD merged with FPD and established the UD.
|
|
|
Forum of the Democratic Right Forum Prawicy Democratycznej
|
FPD
|
Aleksander Hall
|
Conservative liberalism Liberal conservatism Christian democracy
|
|
1990
|
1991
|
Party formed by moderate right-wing politicians of KO "S". In 1991 it merged with ROAD to form UD.
|
|
|
Polish Social Democratic Union Polska Unia Socjaldemokratyczna
|
PUS
|
Tadeusz Fiszbach
|
Social democracy Social patriotism Welfare state
|
|
1990
|
1991
|
Along with SdRP, PUS was one of successor parties of communist PZPR. The party itself was succeeded by currently existing UP.
|
|
|
Liberal Democratic Congress Kongres Liberalno-Demokratyczny
|
KLD
|
Donald Tusk
|
Economic liberalism Neoliberalism Conservative liberalism
|
EDU
|
1990
|
1994
|
Party originated from Gdańsk Social-Economic Society "Congress of Liberals". In 1991 elections KLD won 7.49% of votes and 37 seats in the Sejm. In 1993 it did not reach electoral threshold and a year later merged with UD to form UW.
|
|
|
Polish Beer-Lovers' Party Polska Partia Przyjaciół Piwa
|
PPPP
|
Janusz Rewiński
|
Political satire Beerism Anti-alcoholism
|
|
1990
|
1993
|
Party founded by popular satirists. Originally, its goal was to promote cultural beer-drinking in English-style pubs instead of vodka and thus fight alcoholism. In 1991 election PPPP won 16 seats in the Sejm capturing 2.97% of the vote. Party soon split into Large Beer and Small Beer factions. Eventually PPPP was dissolved in 1993.
|
|
|
Party X Partia X
|
X
|
Stanisław Tymiński
|
Populism Anti-establishment Syncretic politics
|
|
1990
|
1999
|
Party was established by businessman Stanisław Tymiński who took 2nd place in 1990 presidential election. In 1991 parliamentary elections it received 0.47% of the vote, winning three seats in the Sejm. Despite increasing its vote share in the 1993 election to 2.74%, it failed to win a seat, following introduction of a 5% electoral threshold. Party failed to collect enough signatures for Tymiński to run in the 1995 presidential elections.
|
|
|
Democratic Union Unia Demokratyczna
|
UD
|
Tadeusz Mazowiecki
|
Liberalism Social liberalism Christian democracy
|
|
1991
|
1994
|
Party was founded by Prime Minister Tadeusz Mazowiecki as a merger of ROAD and FPD. It won election this year with 12.32% of the vote and 62 MPs. A year later conservative faction left party. In 1993 election UD took 3rd place (10.59% of votes and 74 MPs) and a year later merged with KLD to form UW.
|
|
|
Peasants' Agreement Porozumienie Ludowe
|
PL
|
Gabriel Janowski
|
Agrarianism Conservatism Christian democracy
|
|
1991
|
1999
|
In 1991 parliamentary election party received 5.5% of the vote, winning 28 seats in the Sejm. It joined the coalition governments headed by Jan Olszewski and Hanna Suchocka. Due to several splits and internal disagreements, 1993 elections saw the party's vote share fall to 2.4%. As it had failed to pass the 5% electoral threshold, it lost all its parliamentary representation. In 1997 PL joined AWS.
|
|
|
Movement for the Republic Ruch dla Rzeczypospolitej
|
RdR
|
Jan Olszewski
|
Anti-communism National conservatism Paternalistic conservatism
|
|
1992
|
1999
|
Party founded by overthrown former Prime Minister Jan Olszewski and a group of radically anti-communist MPs who demanded full lustration. In 1993 elections, RdR obtained 2.7% of the votes and did not cross electoral threshold. Two years later Olszewski took 4th place in presidential election. In 1995, the most important RdR politicians founded ROP, while the rest of party joined AWS.
|
|
|
Social Alliance Przymierze Społeczne
|
PS
|
Marek Pol Jarosław Kalinowski Andrzej Lepper
|
Anti-austerity Anti-neoliberalism Agrarian socialism Social democracy
|
|
1998
|
2001
|
Political coalition composed of agrarian and left-wing parties - Polish People's Party, Labour Union, National Party of Retirees and Pensioners, Samoobrona RP and Alliance of Democrats created for the 1998 Polish local elections. It presented itself as 'independent left' that aspired to break the anti-communist and post-communist dichotomy in Polish politics, while also protesting neoliberal and capitalist reforms carried out through Balcerowicz Plan. While short-lived, the coalition successfully emerged as the "third power" in the 1998 election and is credited with breaking the SLD-AWD two-party duopoly.
|
|
|
Patriotic Self-Defence Samoobrona Patriotyczna
|
SP
|
Marian Frądczyk
|
National agrarianism Economic nationalism Social Catholicism
|
|
2006
|
2013
|
Political party that broke away from Self-Defence of the Republic of Poland in 2006. The party represented marginalized right-wing and nationalist wings of the party that were alienated as Self-Defence reaffirmed its far-left political position. The party tried to claim a part of Self-Defence electorate in 2007 election, but it was only registered in a single district and won 0.02% of the national vote. It disbanded in 2013.
|
|
|
Self-Defence of the Polish Nation Samoobrona Narodu Polskiego
|
SNP
|
Tadeusz Mazanek
|
National agrarianism National Catholicism Anti-capitalism
|
|
2003
|
2023
|
Right-wing nationalist party that was founded as a dissident faction of Self-Defence of the Republic of Poland in 2003, before registering as a separate party in 2005. The party marked the beginning of further splinters within Samoobrona that were to follow. It was struck off the ballot in 2006 for being too similar to the original Samoobrona party, and renamed itself to "Defence of the Polish Nation" in response. It continued to participate in Polish elections as a perennial candidate until 2018. It became inactive in 2019 and dissolved in 2023.
|
|
|
Self-Defence Social Movement Samoobrona Ruch Społeczny
|
SRS
|
Sławomir Izdebski
|
Agrarian socialism Laborism Left-wing nationalism
|
|
2006
|
2007
|
Agrarian and trade-unionist wing of Self-Defence of the Republic of Poland that split from the party in 2006 and became an independent movement. Social Movement actively organized rural trade unions and was known for its social justice actions such as blocking evictions. It tried to challenge Self-Defence in 2006 local elections, but it was not allowed on the count of its name, logo and abbreviation being too similar to Self-Defence. It disbanded to join Self-Defence Rebirth in 2007.
|
|
|
Nonpartisan Bloc for Support of Reforms Bezpartyjny Blok Wspierania Reform
|
BBWR
|
Andrzej Olechowski
|
Christian democracy Populism Pro-Wałęsa politics
|
|
1993
|
1997
|
Party affiliated with President Lech Wałęsa. It was founded to continue the traditions of Józef Piłsudski's pre-war Nonpartisan Bloc for Cooperation with the Government (Bezpartyjny Blok Współpracy z Rządem), which likewise had been known by the same initials, BBWR. In 1997 became part of AWS.
|
|
|
Freedom Union Unia Wolności
|
UW
|
Bronisław Geremek
|
Liberalism Social liberalism Economic liberalism
|
ALDE
|
1994
|
2005
|
Party was founded out of merger of UD and KLD. In 1997 election UW got 13.37% of the votes and 60 seats. It joined government coalition with AWS. In 2001 some members of UW decided to create new party PO, which got 12.68% of the votes and 65 seats in general elections whilst UW failed to cross the 5% threshold required to gain entry to the lower house of Parliament, receiving only 3.10%. Surprisingly, party managed to cross the required 5% threshold in 2004 European Parliament election, receiving 7.33% of votes and 4 seats. In 2005 UW was transformed into PD.
|
|
|
Movement for Reconstruction of Poland Ruch Odbudowy Polski
|
ROP
|
Jan Olszewski
|
National conservatism Paternalistic conservatism Social conservatism
|
|
1995
|
2012
|
Party was established after 1995 presidential election, which ended with an unexpectedly good result for Jan Olszewski (4th place, 6.86% of votes). Despite formation of AWS, which integrated almost all centre-right and right-wing parties, ROP, encouraged by the high support in polls, decided to stay outside the federation. Eventually, in 1997 election party received 5.56% of support and introduced only 6 MPs (including Jarosław Kaczyński - Chairman of PC, whose other members ran from AWS lists). In 2001 party participated in election on LPR lists and in following years lost its significance.
|
|
|
Solidarity Electoral Action Akcja Wyborcza Solidarność
|
AWS
|
Marian Krzaklewski
|
Solidarism Christian democracy Social conservatism
|
|
1996
|
2001
|
Formation of party was connected with integration of post-Solidarity parties into a broad electoral block. AWS won 1997 parliamentary election gaining 33.83% of votes and 201 seats. It formed a coalition with UW, which collapsed in 2000. Chairman Marian Krzaklewski became AWS candidate in 2000 presidential election. His candidacy did not arouse general consensus - some activists were largely in favour of independent Andrzej Olechowski. Krzaklewski won 15.57% of votes, finishing third. In 2001 liberal wing left AWS and joined new party PO, created by a part of former UW politicians. Trade union NSZZ "Solidarity" decided not to participate in political structures anymore. Activists associated with the Kaczyński brothers created another new party - PiS. Christian-national wing joined LPR. As a result of parliamentary election in 2001, AWS failed to cross the 8% threshold required to gain entry to the Sejm as coalition, receiving only 5.60% of votes. Shortly afterwards, federation ceased to exist.
|
|
|
Conservative People's Party Stronnictwo Konserwatywno-Ludowe
|
SKL
|
Jan Rokita
|
Liberal conservatism Christian democracy Agrarianism
|
|
1997
|
2014
|
Creation of party was result of merger of several small, moderately conservative parties. It was also joined by some former UW MPs. It quickly joined AWS. In 2001 party participated in elections by running from PO lists. The most important politicians (including future President Bronisław Komorowski) joined PO and SKL became marginal. In 2014 party joined Agreement.
|
|
|
National-Catholic Movement Ruch Katolicko-Narodowy
|
RKN
|
Małgorzata Romanowicz
|
National Catholicism National conservatism Political Catholicism
|
|
1997
|
2023
|
Created in 1997 by politician Antoni Macierewicz. He left it in 2012.
|
|
|
Polish Labour Party Polska Partia Pracy
|
PPP
|
Bogusław Ziętek
|
Marxism Trotskyism Anti-capitalism
|
EACL
|
2001
|
2017
|
Small party of the extreme left. Despite lack of electoral successes, it managed to run in elections many times and gain recognition.
|
|
|
Feminist Initiative Inicjatywa Feministyczna
|
IF
|
Iwona Piątek Elżbieta Jachlewska Katarzyna Kądziela
|
Feminism Women's rights Social progressivism
|
|
2007
|
2020
|
Party was registered in 2007 and was known as "Women's Party" (Partia Kobiet) until 2016. On 21 October 2007 National Assembly election, it won 0.28% of the popular vote and no seats in the Sejm or the Senate.
|
|
|
Democratic Party – democrats.pl Partia Demokratyczna – demokraci.pl
|
PD
|
Władysław Frasyniuk
|
Liberalism Social liberalism Progressivism
|
ALDE
|
2005
|
2016
|
Party was supposed to become an extension of UW by politicians coming from the left, social democratic Prime Minister Marek Belka was one of its founders. Some notable politicians did not join the new party. In 2005 parliamentary election PD did not reach the electoral threshold, obtaining the result of 2.45% of votes. In the following years, party unsuccessfully joined several centre-left electoral coalitions. In 2016 PD was renamed to UED. 4 MPs of PO joined new party.
|
|
|
Poland Comes First Polska Jest Najważniejsza
|
PJN
|
Paweł Kowal
|
Conservative liberalism Liberal conservatism Christian democracy
|
ACRE
|
2010
|
2013
|
Party was founded by liberal wing of PiS, which did not agree with its economic policy. In 2011 parliamentary election PJN received 2.19% of the votes, which did not allow it to obtain seats in the Sejm. In 2013 party joined Agreement.
|
|
|
Your Movement Twój Ruch
|
TR
|
Janusz Palikot
|
Progressivism Social liberalism Anti-clericalism
|
|
2011
|
2023
|
Founded by Janusz Palikot, a former Civic Platform MP, in 2010, as Palikot's Movement. It adopted its current name in 2013. In 2011 parliamentary election, party received 10% of the vote and won 40 seats in the Sejm, making it the third party behind Civic Platform and Law and Justice, one of the best debut performances for a party since the end of communism. In 2015 parliamentary election United Left list was led by Your Movement's Barbara Nowacka and received only 7.6% of the vote, below the 8% threshold, leaving TR without parliamentary representation.
|
|
|
Now! Teraz!
|
Teraz!
|
Ryszard Petru
|
Liberalism Economic liberalism Pro-Europeanism
|
ALDE
|
2018
|
2019
|
Party founded by Ryszard Petru after leaving .Nowoczesna party. Turned out to be ephemeral and quickly dissolved.
|
|
|
Free and Solidary Wolni i Solidarni
|
WiS
|
Kornel Morawiecki
|
Solidarism State interventionism Anti-communism
|
|
2016
|
2020[48][49]
|
Party formed by Kornel Morawiecki, former Senior Marshal of the Sejm. MPs of the party were elected from the lists of Kukiz'15. Formerly declared support for Prime Minister Beata Szydło and her government, but later moved into opposition to the government of Mateusz Morawiecki. WiS lost all seats in 2019.
|
|
|
Party of Drivers Partia Kierowców
|
PK
|
Lech Kędzierski
|
Drivers' rights Anti-bureaucratism
|
|
2019
|
2022
|
Created in 2019 and dissolved in 2022. Member of Confederation.
|
|
|
Social Justice Movement Ruch Sprawiedliwości Społecznej
|
RSS
|
Piotr Ikonowicz
|
Socialism Anti-capitalism Communism
|
|
2014
|
2023
|
Founded in 2014 by social activist Piotr Ikonowicz based on his Social Justice Chancellery. Before the presidential elections in 2015, RSS supported candidate of The Greens Anna Grodzka, who did not collect the required number of signatures.
|
|
|
Spring Wiosna
|
—
|
Robert Biedroń
|
Social liberalism Social democracy
|
S&D
|
2019
|
2021
|
Registered a political party in 2018, proclamed in 2019. Formed by Robert Biedroń, former Słupsk mayor. Won 3 seats in European Parliament election in 2019. Formed The Left electoral alliance at the 2019 election. Merged into New Left party in 2021. Remains a faction within the NL.
|
|
|
Democratic Left Alliance Sojusz Lewicy Demokratycznej
|
SLD
|
Aleksander Kwaśniewski (founder), Leszek Miller (first), Włodzimierz Czarzasty (last)
|
Social democracy
|
S&D
|
1999
|
2021
|
Founded as an electoral alliance around SdRP at the 1991 election by Aleksander Kwaśniewski. Formed a coalition government together with PSL after 1993 election. Registered a political party in 1999 under leadership of Leszek Miller. After 2001 election formed SLD-UP coalition government. Under leadership of Włodzimierz Czarzasty formed The Left electoral alliance together with Spring and Left Together at the 2019 election. In 2021 absorbed the Spring party and later rebranded as New Left. Remains a faction within the NL.
|
|
|
Direct Democracy Demokracja Bezpośrednia
|
DB
|
Marzena Petykiewicz
|
Direct democracy E-democracy Progressivism Populism
|
|
2012
|
2022
|
DB's creation was inspired by the 2012 protests against ACTA. In the elections to the European Parliament in 2014, DB set up its own committee, which received 0.23% of the votes. In the 2015 presidential election, DB's candidate was Paweł Tanajno, who took the last place with 0.2% of votes. In the parliamentary elections in 2015, five DB activists (including Tanajno) entered the Sejm from lists of the Kukiz'15. None of them received a mandate. Dissolved in 2022.
|
|
|
Christian Democracy of the 3rd Polish Republic Chrześcijańska Demokracja III Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej
|
ChDRP
|
Lech Wałęsa
|
Christian democracy Social conservatism Social market economy
|
|
1997
|
2023
|
Founded in 1997 by former president Lech Wałęsa. It took the German CDU as a role model. In 2000 Wałęsa ran in the presidential election, receiving 1.01% of votes (he took 7th place out of 12 candidates). After being de-registered in 2004, the party resumed its activity in 2015 but never gained sufficient traction and it was de-registered again in 2023.
|
|
|
Confederation of Independent Poland Konfederacja Polski Niepodległej
|
KPN
|
Władysław Borowiec
|
Polish nationalism Sanationism Anti-communism Syncretic politics
|
|
1979
|
2018
|
Founded in 1979 by Leszek Moczulski and others declaring support for the pre-war traditions of Sanacja and Józef Piłsudski. It was the first independent political party that was publicly proclaimed in the Eastern Bloc. After the fall of communism, Leszek Moczulski got only 2.5% of votes in 1990 presidential election. In 1991 parliamentary election the party got 7.5% of the vote, while in the 1993 parliamentary election it received 5.7%. It was de-registered on 12 January 2018.
|
|
|
Defence of the Polish Nation Obrona Narodu Polskiego
|
ONP
|
Tadeusz Mazanek
|
Agrarianism National conservatism National Catholicism
|
|
2003
|
2023
|
Originally registered in 2005 as a Self-Defence of the Polish Nation (it operated under this name for a year). It was founded by nationalist splitters from Self-Defence of the Republic of Poland. The party did not participate in any elections after 2019 and stopped submitting financial reports to Polish courts aftwerwards. The party was then formally deregistered and dissolved in February 2023.
|
|
|
National League Liga Narodowa
|
LN
|
Zbigniew Lipiński
|
National democracy National conservatism Souverainism
|
|
2007
|
2021
|
Originally registered in 2007 as a National People's Movement (and operated under this name until 2013). It was founded mainly by former activists of League of Polish Families and Self-Defence. As RLN it had agrarian-nationalist character, while as LN it refers only to national democracy. The party was deregistered in 2023 for failing to submit financial statements for 2021.
|
|
|
Silesian Separatist Movement Śląski Ruch Separatystyczny
|
ŚRS
|
Dariusz Jerczyński[50]
|
Silesian separatism[51] Social democracy[52]
|
|
2007
|
2010
|
A minor party founded in 2007 whose main goal is "national and territorial separation of Silesia and the sanctioning of Silesian nationality". The party claims to continue the legacy of Silesian autonomist Józef Kożdoń, who in 1910 wrote: "We do not know Polish patriotism, we do not know the Polish homeland. Silesia does not long for mother Poland".[51]
|