Democratic Union (Poland)
민주연합 (폴란드)
A centrist Polish party created by the Solidarity-derived groups that had backed Tadeusz Mazowiecki in his defeat in the 1990 presidential election. It became a unified party at a congress in May 1991, came first in that year's election and led Hanna Suchocka's government in 1992–1993. In 1994 it merged with the Liberal Democratic Congress to form the Freedom Union.
In depth
The Democratic Union was set up by the Solidarity-derived groups that had supported Prime Minister Tadeusz Mazowiecki, who was eliminated in the first round of the 1990 presidential election behind Lech Wałęsa and Stan Tymiński. A parliamentary group was formed on 2 December 1990, and the Forum of the Democratic Right and the Citizens' Movement for Democratic Action joined the structures of Mazowiecki's election committee. The unification congress was held on 11–12 May 1991. The Polish-language source dates the party's activity to 1990–1994, while the English-language source gives 1991 as its founding year. Mazowiecki chaired the party throughout its existence, with Jacek Kuroń, Władysław Frasyniuk and Aleksander Hall as deputy chairmen.
The Polish-language source describes the party as a centrist party gathering post-Solidarity politicians of views ranging from social democratic through social liberal and Christian democratic to conservative, while the English-language source describes it as having a staunchly market-liberal platform. Bronisław Geremek, Adam Michnik, Hanna Suchocka and Jan Rokita were also prominent members.
In the 1991 election the party came first with 12.3% but won only 62 seats, and after Geremek's attempt to form a government failed it went into opposition to Jan Olszewski's government. After the Olszewski government fell, President Wałęsa appointed the Democratic Union deputy Hanna Suchocka as prime minister. In autumn 1992 the Democratic Right Faction led by Hall left to form the Conservative Party. When the Sejm passed a vote of no confidence in the Suchocka government on 29 May 1993, Wałęsa dissolved parliament.
In the 1993 election the party came third with 10.59%, winning 74 Sejm seats and 4 Senate seats, and went into opposition. In 1994 it merged with the Liberal Democratic Congress to form the Freedom Union.