Solidarity Electoral Action

Solidarity Electoral Action (Polish: Akcja Wyborcza Solidarność, AWS) was a political coalition in Poland. Since 1997, its official name has been Akcja Wyborcza Solidarność Prawicy (AWSP) or Electoral Action Solidarity of the Right. Ruch Społeczny AWS (RS AWS), or Social Movement for Electoral Action Solidarity, was the political arm of the Solidarity trade union and was formerly the leading party within AWS.

Solidarity Electoral Action

Akcja Wyborcza Solidarność
LeaderMarian Krzaklewski (1996-1999) Jerzy Buzek (1999-2001)
FounderMarian Krzaklewski
Founded1996
Dissolved2001
Preceded bySolidarity lists
Centre Agreement
Succeeded byCivic Platform
Law and Justice
Christian National Union
IdeologyConservatism
Christian democracy[1]
Internal factions:
 • National conservatism
 • Conservative liberalism
 • Agrarianism
 • Centrism
Political positionCentre-right
ColoursWhite, Red

Background

AWS was formed in 1996 as a coalition of over 30 parties, uniting liberal, conservative and Christian-democratic forces. Marian Krzaklewski was its first chairman. In 1997 the coalition was joined by RS AWS, and by the Freedom Union. Jerzy Buzek of RS AWS became Prime Minister of Poland.

The International Republican Institute, a US federal government-funded organisation loosely associated with the United States Republican Party, claims credit for having played a major role in uniting the different political parties which came together to create the AWS. It claims to have provided training in political campaigning, communications training and research which helped organise and create the AWS. It also states that once the AWS was in government, it organised an advertising campaign for the Polish government in order to stop the AWS splitting up over internal tensions:

IRI initiated a post-election program that emphasized media and communications training for Prime Minister Jerzy Buzek's chancellory and cabinet.[2]

Reforms relating to domestic affairs, the entry to NATO in 1999 and the accession process to the European Union led to conflicts within the coalition, with many members moving to the more liberal Civic Platform, the right-wing Law and Justice party, or the Movement for Reconstruction of Poland. By 2001, the number of parties in the alliance was reduced to three including RS AWS. AWS formed a minority government under Jerzy Buzek, and the coalition was renamed AWSP (Akcja Wyborcza Solidarność Prawicy – "Solidarity of the Right" Electoral Action), while RS AWS became simply RS. In the 2001 elections, AWSP (including RS) did not obtain enough votes to enter Parliament and became defunct.

AWSP former leader Jerzy Buzek is now a member of the Civic Platform.

Election results

Sejm
Election year Leader # of
votes		 % of
vote		 # of
overall seats won		 +/- Government
1997 Marian Krzaklewski 4,427,373 33.8 (#1)
201 / 460
 – AWS-UW (1997-2000)
AWS minority (2000-2001)
2001 Jerzy Buzek 729,207 5.6 (#7)
0 / 460
 201 Extra-parliamentary

Senate
Election year # of
overall seats won		 +/–
1997
51 / 100
2001
7 / 100
 44
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
2000 Marian Krzaklewski 2,739,621 15.6 (#3)

Regional assemblies
Election year % of
vote		 # of
overall seats won		 +/–
1998 33.3 (#1)
342 / 855
2002 3.4 (#6)
17 / 561
 325

References
  1. Nordsieck, Wolfram (2001). "Poland". Parties and Elections in Europe. Archived from the original on 7 February 2005.
  2. "IRI in Poland". Archived from the original on 2005-10-15. Retrieved 2008-01-29.
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