Languages: Polish is the official language and is universally understood.
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Capital: Warsaw (Warszawa)
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Electoral authority: The Commission for National Elections conducts all elections.
Freedom House rating:
Political Rights 1, Civil Liberties 2
Political history
The ancient Kingdom of Poland and Lithuania was partitioned in three stages by its more powerful neighbours Austria, Prussia and Russia, finally losing its independence in 1795. The collapse of these three empires in 1918 allowed Poland to recover its independence. The new Polish state began as a parliamentary democracy, but in 1926 the nationalist leader Jozef Pilsudski established an authoritarian regime.
Poland was swiftly defeated by Nazi Germany in September 1939. When the Soviet armed forces entered Warsaw in 1945 a Communist government was established. Elections were held in January 1947, but these were rigged by the Communists and the democratic leader Stanislaw Mikolajczyk was driven into exile. The Communists established a one-party dictatorship which held power for more than 40 years.
From the 1970s on Poland faced grave economic difficulties, which the Communist regime was unable to solve while ruling an unwilling population. The trade union movement Solidarity forced a confrontation with the regime which led to the declaration of martial law in 1981. In 1990 the Communists gave up power and free elections were held. The Solidarity leader Lech Walesa was elected President.
The Polish Communists reorganised themselves into the Alliance of
Democratic Left, which surprisingly proved to be the most successful party in democratic Poland, despite the hostility of the powerful Catholic Church. The party's leader Aleksander Kwasniewski defeated Walesa at the 1995 presidential election and the party comfortably won the 2001 legislative election.
The Coalition Electoral Action Solidarity lost all its seats at the this election, leaving a vacuum on the right. This has been filled by the moderate Citizens' Platform, and by the extremist populist
Polish Self Defence, Law
and Justice, Polish People's Party
and League of Polish Families. At the 2005 elections, the right returned to power, with Lech Kaczynski of Law and Justice being elected President and his twin brother Jaroslaw becoming Prime Minister.
Poland was swiftly defeated by Nazi Germany in September 1939. When the Soviet armed forces entered Warsaw in 1945 a Communist government was established. Elections were held in January 1947, but these were rigged by the Communists and the democratic leader Stanislaw Mikolajczyk was driven into exile. The Communists established a one-party dictatorship which held power for more than 40 years.
From the 1970s on Poland faced grave economic difficulties, which the Communist regime was unable to solve while ruling an unwilling population. The trade union movement Solidarity forced a confrontation with the regime which led to the declaration of martial law in 1981. In 1990 the Communists gave up power and free elections were held. The Solidarity leader Lech Walesa was elected President.
The Polish Communists reorganised themselves into the Alliance of Democratic Left, which surprisingly proved to be the most successful party in democratic Poland, despite the hostility of the powerful Catholic Church. The party's leader Aleksander Kwasniewski defeated Walesa at the 1995 presidential election and the party comfortably won the 2001 legislative election.
The Coalition Electoral Action Solidarity lost all its seats at the this election, leaving a vacuum on the right. This has been filled by the moderate Citizens' Platform, and by the extremist populist Polish Self Defence, Law and Justice, Polish People's Party and League of Polish Families. At the 2005 elections, the right returned to power, with Lech Kaczynski of Law and Justice being elected President and his twin brother Jaroslaw becoming Prime Minister.