Third Way (Poland)
Third Way Trzecia Droga | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Founded | 27 April 2023 |
| Dissolved | 17 June 2025 |
| Membership | |
| Ideology | Christian democracy Pro-Europeanism |
| Political position | Centre-right[5] |
| Colors |
|
| Website | |
| trzeciadroga | |
The Third Way (
Law and Justice and Civic Platform, the dominant political parties in Poland since the 2000s. The coalition was created by centrist Poland 2050 of Szymon Hołownia and the conservative Polish People's Party, which leads the centre-right Polish Coalition. It was disbanded on 17 June 2025.[7]
History
Unofficial cooperation between Poland 2050 and Polish People's Party was announced by Szymon Hołownia and Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz on 7 February 2023 as a "common list of things to do". The two parties expressed willingness to cooperate in areas such as the judicial system, education and local government.[8][9][10]
On 27 April, the parties announced they'd be running together in the 2023 parliamentary elections, officially revealing the name of the coalition on 15 May.[11] Despite heavy cooperation during the campaign, both parties opted to create two separate political groups in the next Sejm.[6]
Both leaders expressed openness to talks with other political parties and organizations, most notably Wolnościowcy, the Young Poland Association and the conservative wing of Civic Platform.[12][13][14]
On 17 June 2025, the Executive Council of the Polish People's Party announced that it had decided to leave Third Way and run separately in the next parliamentary election. Poland 2050 stated that it accepts the decision of its partner and confirmed that it marks the end of the alliance.[15] Political commentators noted that the decision was likely caused by poor performance in the polls - In June 2025, the Third Way was polling around 4%, way short of the 8% electoral threshold for coalitions running for the Sejm.[16]
Platform
The Third Way bloc was mostly dominated by
centrist or moderate conservative platform on the opposition.[17][18] Per the manifesto of the Third Way, the coalition wanted to increase budget revenue, reform the school system, implement a climate policy based on renewable energy, and simplify the tax system. The alliance called for a referendum on the legality of abortion and allowed its members to take individual positions on social issues, although most leaned conservative.[19][20][21]
The
social-liberal positions as the successor of the Freedom Union.[22][23][24] Poland 2050 represented mainly centrist views with visible green politics influence; both Christian democratic and liberal influences were present, mainly due to former Civic Coalition politicians joining the party.[25][26] However, since 2023, Poland 2050 started being seen as a centre-right,[27] conservative party.[28]
The party's stance towards issues regarding LGBTQ issues was not made explicit. During a radio interview, Szymon Hołownia stated he was opposed to same-sex marriage, while noting that "his movement would follow a rule of voting according to one's conscience" if such question was brought up in parliament. Hołownia described the legalization of civil unions as a more rational alternative.[29]
Name
The name Third Way was primarily a reference to the party being an alternative to both the
catch-all party. Despite some overlap, it did not associate itself with the Third Way political position.[30][31]
Composition
| Name | Ideology | Position | Leader | MPs | Senators | MEPs | Sejmiks | Entry | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poland 2050 | Christian democracy Environmentalism Liberalism |
Centre-right | Szymon Hołownia | 32 / 460
|
5 / 100
|
1 / 53
|
3 / 552
|
27 April 2023 | |
| Polish Coalition[note 1] •Polish People's Party •Union of European Democrats •Centre for Poland |
Christian democracy Liberal conservatism |
Centre-right to right-wing | Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz | 32 / 460
|
7 / 100
|
2 / 53
|
69 / 552
|
27 April 2023 | |
Election results
Sejm
| Election | Leader | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | Government | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Szymon Hołownia Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz |
3,110,670 | 14.4 (#3) | 65 / 460
|
New | PiS Minority (2023)
|
[32] |
| KO-PL2050-KP-NL (2023-present) |
Presidential
| Election | Candidate | First round | Second round | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Votes | % | ||
| 2025 | Szymon Hołownia | 978,901 | 4.99 (#5) | ||
European Parliament
| Election | Leader | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | EP Group |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Szymon Hołownia Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz |
813,238 | 6.91 (#4) | 3 / 53
|
New | EPP / RE |
Regional Assemblies
| Election | Leader | Votes | % | Seats | +/– |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Szymon Hołownia Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz |
2,054,152 | 14.3 (#3) | 80 / 552
|
New |
Notes and references
Notes
- ^ The Polish Coalition also cooperates with non-parliamentary parties and organisations, e.g. Silesians Together, or Fair Play State, and moreover with non-partisan and local politicians.
References
- ^ Dorota Kalinowska-Bartosewicz (31 July 2024). "PSL ściga się z najtwardszą prawicą. Czy taka strategia się opłaci?". tokfm.pl.
Ostatnie działania Polskiego Stronnictwa Ludowego robią wrażenie. - To najbardziej prawicowy PSL od przewrotu majowego (w 1926 roku), gdy jeden z odłamów ruchu ludowego był w rządzie z nacjonalistyczną prawicą - przypomniał prof. Rafał Chwedoruk.
- ^ "Polish PM Tusk's Civic Coalition seen ahead in EU vote exit poll". Deutsche Welle. 9 June 2024.
KO's partners in the pro-European coalition government which took power in December, the centre-right Third Way and the Left, got 8.2% and 6.6% respectively.
- ^ Pyka, Agata (2 September 2024). "Polish PM Tusk launches "great government confession" of ministers' failings". Notes from Poland.
However, Tusk made those promises as leader of the Civic Coalition (KO), which failed to win an independent majority and had to go into coalition with The Left (Lewica) and centre-right Third Way (Trzecia Droga). Differences between KO and its partners have stymied Tusk's agenda.
- ^ "Government party wins EP elections in Poland - official results". Polish Press Agency. 10 June 2024.
The far-right Confederation party received 12.08 percent of the vote, while the two government partners - the centre-right Third Way garnered 6.91 percent and the Left won 6.3 percent.
- ^ [1][2][3][4]
- ^ a b "PSL i Polska 2050. "Związek z rozsądku, pieniędzmi podzielą się równo"". Rzeczpospolita (in Polish). Retrieved 2023-05-15.
- ^ "Koniec Trzeciej Drogi. Co Polska 2050 i PSL zrobiły dla biznesu?". Business Insider Polska (in Polish). 2025-06-19. Retrieved 2025-06-27.
- ^ "Hołownia: Polska 2050 i PSL chcą stworzyć jedną listę spraw do załatwienia". www.gazetaprawna.pl (in Polish). 2023-02-07. Retrieved 2023-05-15.
- ^ "Bliżej wspólnej listy PSL i Polski 2050". Rzeczpospolita (in Polish). Retrieved 2023-05-15.
- ^ Michał (2023-03-01). "Dotrzymaliśmy słowa! Powstała Wspólna Lista Spraw". Polskie Stronnictwo Ludowe (in Polish). Retrieved 2023-05-15.
- ^ "Polska 2050 i PSL pójdą razem do wyborów jako "Trzecia droga"". Rzeczpospolita (in Polish). Retrieved 2023-05-15.
- ^ "Pasławska i Kobosko gośćmi na konwencji Jana Strzeżka i Młodej Polski". Rzeczpospolita (in Polish). Retrieved 2023-05-15.
- ^ "Sonik dołączy do PSL? Klimczak: Drzwi są szeroko otwarte". wpolityce.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2023-05-15.
- ^ "Do Hołowni i PSL dołączą byli politycy Porozumienia? "Pomidor" | Wiadomości Radio ZET". wiadomosci.radiozet.pl (in Polish). 2023-03-13. Retrieved 2023-05-15.
- ^ "Koniec Trzeciej Drogi". TVN24 (in Polish). 17 June 2025.
- ^ "To koniec Trzeciej Drogi? Jest komentarz Szymona Hołowni". Rzeczpospolita (in Polish). 17 June 2025.
- ^ "Hołownia i Kosiniak-Kamysz pójdą do wyborów razem. Jako "Trzecia droga"". gazetapl (in Polish). 15 May 2023. Retrieved 2023-05-15.
- ^ "Kosiniak-Kamysz: Nie wygramy wyborów, jak będziemy tylko przeciwko PiS [WYWIAD]". www.gazetaprawna.pl (in Polish). 2023-01-23. Retrieved 2023-05-15.
- ^ PSL-P2050 manifesto
- ^ "Kosiniak-Kamysz: Nie da się zbudować jednej listy na opozycji nie mając wspólnych poglądów światopoglądowych". www.gazetaprawna.pl (in Polish). 2022-09-01. Retrieved 2023-05-15.
- ^ "Referendum aborcyjne - to pomysł Hołowni i Kosiniaka-Kamysza na pierwsze 100 dni rządów opozycji". oko.press (in Polish). Retrieved 2023-05-15.
- ^ "Aborcja, in vitro, zrównanie płac. Co siły polityczne proponują Polkom?". forsal.pl (in Polish). 2023-03-08. Retrieved 2023-05-15.
- ^ "Kosiniak-Kamysz o 14-latce, której odmówiono aborcji. "Też bym zastosował klauzulę sumienia"". naTemat.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2023-05-15.
- ^ ""Z zaciśniętymi zębami zagłosują na PiS". Szef PSL: Nie możemy stracić tych wyborców". Do Rzeczy (in Polish). 2023-01-21. Retrieved 2023-05-15.
- ^ "Hołownia: W sprawie aborcji jestem bardziej konserwatywny". Do Rzeczy (in Polish). 2022-09-05. Retrieved 2023-05-15.
- ^ Poland2050 10 promises
- ^ "Polish parliamentary speaker calls for new coalition deal after confidence vote". Telewizja Polska. 11 June 2025.
But Szymon Hołownia, leader of the center-right Poland 2050 party, said Wednesday's confidence vote is only one element of what he called a "restart of hope" and should be followed by an "immediate renewal of the coalition agreement and a government reshuffle."
- ^ "How Poland emerged as a leading defence power". The Economist. 22 January 2025.
- ^ ""Głosowałbym przeciw". Zaskakująca deklaracja Hołowni ws. małżeństw osób jednopłciowych". naTemat.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2023-08-27.
- ^ "Trzecia droga Hołowni i PSL. "Będziemy częścią rządu opozycji"". oko.press (in Polish). Retrieved 2023-05-15.
- ^ Stańczyk, Zuzanna (2021-05-05). "Kosiniak-Kamysz: Platforma Obywatelska skręca w lewo". Share Info (in Polish). Retrieved 2023-05-15.
- ^ "Results of voting in 2023 elections for Sejm". sejmsenat2023.pkw.gov.pl. National Electoral Commission. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
