Freedom Union (Poland)
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Freedom Union Unia Wolności | |
---|---|
Democratic Party[a] | |
Ideology | Liberalism[1] |
Political position | Centre |
European affiliation | European Democrat Union |
^ a: In 24 January 2001, KLD faction split from this party to form Civic Platform. |
The Freedom Union (Polish: Unia Wolności, UW) was a liberal[2] democratic political party in Poland.
History
It was founded on 20 March 1994 out of the merger of the
privatisation
of the enterprises still owned by the Polish state and decentralisation of the government.
Timeline of Polish liberal parties after 1989 |
• (2015– ) |
In the 1991 general elections, the KLD received 7.5% of the vote and 37 seats in the Sejm (out of 460 seats) and the UD got 12.3% of the votes and 62 seats. In 1993 the KLD got 4.0% of the votes and was left without seats; the UD got 10.6% of the votes and 74 seats. In 1997 the UW got 13.4% of the votes and 60 seats.
In January 2001 some members of the FU decided to move to join the new
European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party
, of which it was a member.
The initiative by the FU leadership to found the centre/social-liberal
Democratic Party (Partia Demokratyczna – demokraci.pl) attracted a lot of attention. It was cofounded by Władysław Frasyniuk and economy minister Jerzy Hausner, joined by prime minister Marek Belka. Former FU member Tadeusz Mazowiecki
also joined the initiative. Legally the centrist Democratic Party, founded 9 May 2005, is the successor of the FU.
Election results
Sejm
Election year | # of votes |
% of vote |
# of overall seats won |
+/– | Government |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1997 | 1,749,518 | 13.4 (#3) | 60 / 460
|
14 | AWS-UW (1997-2000) |
Opposition (2000-2001) | |||||
2001 | 404,074 | 3.1 (#9) | 0 / 460
|
60 | Extra-parliamentary |
Senate
Election year | # of overall seats won |
+/– | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1997 | 8 / 100
|
|||||
2001 | 5 / 100
|
3 | ||||
As part of the Senate 2001 coalition, which won 15 seats. |
Presidential
Election year | Candidate | 1st round | 2nd round | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
# of overall votes | % of overall vote | # of overall votes | % of overall vote | ||
1995 | Jacek Kuroń | 1,646,946 | 9.2 (#3) |
Regional assemblies
Election year | % of vote |
# of overall seats won |
+/– |
---|---|---|---|
1998 | 10.3 (#4) | 76 / 855
|
|
2002 | 2.3 (#7) | 3 / 561
|
73 |
European Parliament
Election year | # of votes |
% of vote |
# of overall seats won |
+/– |
---|---|---|---|---|
2004 | 446,549 | 7.3 (#6) | 4 / 54
|
Former leader
- Władysław Frasyniuk – Party chairman
Members of Polish Parliament (Sejm)
- None since 2001
Former Members of Polish Senate
- Olga Teresa Krzyżanowska – caucus vice-chairperson
- Dorota Simonides
- Kazimierz Kutz
- Andrzej Jan Wielowieyski – caucus chairman
- Grażyna Staniszewska (until 13 June 2004, elected to the European Parliament)
Members of the European Parliament of the former Freedom Union
- Bronisław Geremek, historian and politician, ex-minister of foreign affairs
- Jan Kułakowski, journalist, ex-Poland-EU negotiator
- Janusz Onyszkiewicz, mathematician and politician, vice-president of the European Parliament
- Grażyna Staniszewska, politician, senator
Other prominent members
- Jan Rokita – now Civic Platform
- Donald Tusk – now Civic Platform
- Janusz Lewandowski – now Civic Platform
- Jacek Kuroń – died 17 June 2004
See also
- Liberalism in Poland
- Liberalism
- Contributions to liberal theory
- Liberalism worldwide
- List of liberal parties
- Liberal democracy
References
- ^ ""Freedom Union - Program, Activity, Members (in Polish)".
- ISBN 978-0-415-20182-7. Retrieved 6 February 2013.