United Right (Poland) Explained

United Right
Native Name:Zjednoczona Prawica
Native Name Lang:pl
Abbreviation:ZP
Leader:Jarosław Kaczyński
Position:Right-wing
Factions:
Centre-right to far-right
Europarl:European Conservatives and Reformists
Colours:Blue
Seats1 Title:Sejm
Seats2 Title:Senate
Seats3 Title:European Parliament
Seats4 Title:Regional assemblies
Seats5 Title:City Presidents
Seats6 Title:Voivodes
Seats7 Title:Voivodeship Marshals
Country:Poland

The United Right (Polish: Zjednoczona Prawica, initially Fair Poland, Polish: Sprawiedliwa Polska) was a parliamentary group formed by Jarosław Gowin and Zbigniew Ziobro with their respective parties, Poland Together and United Poland. After their cooperation at 2015 Polish parliamentary election with the Law and Justice party, 'United Right' became a media label for the ruling right-wing political alliance of Law and Justice with its aforementioned partners in Poland.[1]

History

Creation

The alliance was formed in 2014.[2] The alliance initially took the form of a parliamentary club in the Sejm called Just Poland (alternatively translated as Fair Poland; Polish: Sprawiedliwa Polska) formed by politicians of Poland Together and United Poland.[3] They then agreed to co-operate with the Law and Justice party (the Piast Faction were already incorporated with them) and joined Law and Justice's parliamentary club and electoral lists that same year, in time for the 2014 local elections and the 2015 parliamentary elections.[4]

Ascent to power

The alliance was in power from the 2015 elections to their defeat in the 2023 elections. It was opposed by the Civic Coalition, led by Civic Platform, since 2018.[5] [6]

Throughout the parliamentary term the coalition expanded its absolute majority by crossers of the floor from Polish People's Party, Civic Platform, Modern and Kukiz'15. A major factor was when in 2017, Poland Together merged with individual centre-right orientated defectors from The Republican Association, Civic Platform, Liberty, Law and Justice, Christian National Union, Polish People's Party and Kukiz'15 to form the Agreement Party centred around the leadership of Jarosław Gowin.[7] In 2018, Free and Solidarity, a splinter group of Kukiz'15, joined the coalition.[8] Its candidate for the 2018 Warsaw election was Patryk Jaki.[9]

Internal disputes

In the 2019 parliamentary election the alliance gained more votes, but due to appearance of the Confederation and The Left in Sejm and cooperation between the Civic Coalition, The Left, and the Polish Coalition in the Senate, it failed to increase its majority in Sejm and even lost their majority in the Senate.

In 2020 and 2021, the alliance has been affected by actions of rebellious MPs. This was in part caused by the results of 2019 parliamentary elections, whereby the Law and Justice representation was reduced to 199 MPs, whilst United Poland and Agreement increased their tallies to 18 MPs each. This led to the notion that it is enough for just some MPs in one of constituent parties (and not the whole party) to rebel and bring down the government. Inter-party rebellion occurred on several occasions, although never managing to dissolve the alliance or bring down the government.

The first such instances were during the preparations to the 2020 presidential election. The Agreement Party did not support the Law and Justice proposal on postal voting in these elections. A second crucial instance was when the near-total abortion ban was drafted, initiated by United Poland, but initially provoking some scepticism in the Law and Justice and the Agreement parties. The third major rift was during the proposed changes to animal rights' which sought to ban animal breeding for fur production and energy policies which proposed speeding up the reduction of coal production and the sudden suspension of the Ostrołęka power plant construction. Law and Justice had proposed the opposite policies in their election manifestos, but due to pressure from the leader of the party, Jarosław Kaczyński, and the European Commission, the policies were changed.[10] [11]

Major reshuffling and loss of absolute majority in Sejm

On 20 June 2021, the reactivation of the congress of the Republicans took place, with some Agreement members joining the Republican association and restructuring it into a party. The newly formed party subsequently joined the governing coalition as a full member. In response, the Law and Justice chairman Jarosław Kaczyński made a speech praising the new reformed party.[12]

After Jarosław Gowin's scepticism with the "Polish Deal" proposal (an economic recovery plan for countering the COVID-19 recession in Poland) and media law changes that would have affected a major foreign owned news channel TVN24, Gowin was publicly removed from his position as deputy prime minister, resulting in a realignment of the composition of the coalition.[13] As result, Adam Bielan's "Agreement rebels" new party joined the coalition as replacements. The remaining Kukiz '15 MP's led by Paweł Kukiz declared their support for the ruling coalition by signing a confidence and supply agreement without formally joining the government.[14]

After this, coalition lost its majority in Sejm, which it enjoyed since 2015 parliamentary election.[15] On 3 September 2021, five more former Agreement MPs decided to continue their support of Law and Justice government after the remainder of the party went into opposition, creating the Renew PR political party under the leadership of Marcin Ociepa.[16] The other four MPs were Andrzej Gut-Mostowy, Wojciech Murdzek, Grzegorz Piechowiak and Anna Dąbrowska-Banaszek.[17]

Further internal disputes

In April 2022 it was noted that SP, most notably its leader Zbigniew Ziobro, and PiS were in a major dispute regarding the dissolution of the Supreme Court Disciplinary Chamber and repealing the law concerning the matter, a focal point of an ongoing constitutional crisis.

The proposal was made by the president Andrzej Duda, noting a complete u-turn on the subject. The escalation of the dispute was further noted by accusatory statements between Ziobro and Ryszard Terlecki, leading the former to call the situation a "real pâté" (Polish idiom equivalent of a sticky wicket).

On 22 June 2022, Andrzej Sośnierz was thrown out of the Agreement Party after his parliamentary group "Polish Affairs" (Polish: Polskie Sprawy) signed an agreement with Law and Justice. Sośnierz, along with the leader of the group Agnieszka Ścigaj (who was appointed Minister without portfolio) confirmed their participation in the coalition as independent MPs, with Paweł Szramka leaving the group.

Loss of Power

After the 2023 parliamentary election, the United Right won a plurality of seats but fell short of a Sejm majority. The opposition, consisting of the Civic Coalition, Third Way, and The Left achieved a combined vote total of 54% and formed a coalition government.[18] [19] In the Senate, the opposition electoral alliance Senate Pact 2023 won a plurality of the vote and a majority of seats. Turnout was 74.4%, the highest in contested elections and the highest since the fall of the Polish People's Republic, beating the previous records set in 1989 and 2019.

On 6 November, Duda named Law and Justice's incumbent prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki as his prime ministerial nominee.[20] This move was criticized by the opposition, as no party that would allow PiS to reach a majority agreed to join them for coalition talks.[21] On 13 November, the newly elected Sejm held its first session. Szymon Hołownia, leader of Poland 2050, was elected Marshal of the Sejm, winning over the incumbent Elżbieta Witek of PiS.[22] Later that day, on the first meeting of the Senate, former Marshal of the Sejm Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska of Civic Coalition was elected Marshal of the Senate.[23]

On 11 December, Mateusz Morawiecki's caretaker cabinet lost a vote of no confidence in the Sejm by 190 votes to 266.[24] [25] Later that day, the Sejm nominated Donald Tusk for prime minister, who was subsequently confirmed by 248 votes in favour and 201 against.[26] Tusk's cabinet was sworn in at 9:13 CET on 13 December.

Law and Justice has won 2024 local elections and then has lost the European election in the same year.

After 2023 loss of power the Republicans party was merged into the Law and Justice. After that, talks about potential name changeing and unification with Sovereign Poland has begun.[27] [28] [29] [30]

Ideology and factions

Law and Justice is generally a right-wing coalition,[31] with strong far-right (focused around Sovereign Poland or politicians as Beata Szydło or Antoni Macierewicz) and small centre-right factions (like Renewal of the Republic of Poland and formerly Piast Faction and Agreement parties).[32] [33] [34] [35] [36] The United Right coalition has been described as solidarist,[37] and fiscally statist.[38] [39] [40] It previously used to include a paternalistic conservative faction.[41] [42] [43]

Order of the Centre Agreement is the unofficial name of the most influential, although not the most numerous faction of PiS. Its leader is Jarosław Kaczyński, main members are Joachim Brudziński, Adam Lipiński and Mariusz Błaszczak. It is economically left-wing.[44]

Composition

Current

NameYearsIdeologyPositionLeaderMPsSenatorsMEPsSejmiks
Law and Justice2014–National conservatism
Right-wing populism
Right-wing
Sovereign Poland2014–Social conservatism
Right-wing populism
Far-rightZbigniew Ziobro
Renewal of the Republic of Poland2021–ConservatismMarcin Ociepa
Independents(MPs)2020–N/AN/AN/A
(President) 2015- N/A N/AN/A

Former

NameYearsIdeologyPositionLeader
(at the time)
Reasons for leaving
Right Wing of the Republic2015–2017Political Catholicism
Conservatism
Anti-abortion
Right-wing to
far-right[45] [46]
Marek JurekPolitical disagreement[47] [48] [49]
Republican Party2017–2019Political Catholicism
Republicanism
Right-wingMarek WróbelParty disbanded[50]
Poland Together2014–2017Liberal conservatismCentre-rightJarosław GowinMerged into new Agreement party[51]
Free and Solidary2018–2019Solidarism
Anti-communism
Right-wingKornel MorawieckiDisagreements over electoral lists and foreign policy towards Russia. Party disbanded in 2020[52]
Agreement2017–2021[53] Centre-right to
right-wing
Jarosław GowinPolitical disagreement[54]
The Republicans2021–2023National conservatismRight-wingAdam BielanMerged into the Law and Justice party[55]
Kukiz'152021–2023Centre-rightPaweł Kukiz"The desire to abandon party discipline and be independent of PiS"[56]
Piast Faction2014-2024AgrarianismChristian democracyCentre-rightZdzisław PodkańskiParty disbanded after lack of activity[57]

Electoral performance

The difference between Poland A and B is particularly evident in the voting patterns of the two regions. Since circa 2005, when Poland saw a realignment in its political system, residents of Poland "A" have supported the liberal conservative party Civic Platform (PO). Residents of Poland "B" (excluding Warsaw), on the other hand, tend to support the national conservative Law and Justice party (PiS).

Sejm

Election yearLeader
  1. of
    votes
% of
vote
  1. of
    overall seats won
+/–Government
2015Jarosław Kaczyński5,711,68737.6 (#1)
20198,051,93543.6 (#1)
20237,640,854 35.4 (#1)

European Parliament

Election year
  1. of
    votes
% of
vote
  1. of
    overall seats won
+/–
20196,192,78045.38 (#1)New
20244,253,16936.2% (#2)

Presidential

Election yearCandidate1st round2nd round
  1. of overall votes
% of overall vote
  1. of overall votes
% of overall vote
2015Andrzej Duda5,179,09234.8 (#1)8,630,62751.6 (#1)
2020Supported Andrzej Duda8,450,51343.5 (#1)10,440,64851.0 (#1)

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Kubala . Paweł . Dlaczego Prawica już nie jest zjednoczona z PiS _ Parezja . parezja.pl . 14 November 2023 . 4 July 2017.
  2. Web site: Nowa umowa koalicyjna Zjednoczonej Prawicy podpisana. 28 November 2019. www.gazetaprawna.pl.
  3. Web site: S.A. Wirtualna Polska Media. 2014-07-11. "Sprawiedliwa Polska" - to nowy klub, który powstanie w sejmie. 2021-10-22. wiadomosci.wp.pl. pl.
  4. Web site: S.A. Wirtualna Polska Media. 2014-07-19. Jarosław Kaczyński podpisał porozumienie ze Zbigniewem Ziobro i Jarosławem Gowinem. 2021-10-22. wiadomosci.wp.pl. pl.
  5. Web site: Zjednoczona Prawica z dwa razy większym poparciem niż PO i Nowoczesna. 4 July 2018.
  6. Web site: PO i Nowoczesna razem do wyborów samorządowych. Powstała Koalicja Obywatelska. WPROST.pl. 14 April 2018.
  7. Web site: Polish conservative leader hails new centre-right Alliance party.
  8. Web site: Sondaż: Zjednoczona Prawica traci w badaniach. Zyskuje opozycja. 10 June 2018.
  9. Web site: Patryk Jaki named United Right candidate for Warsaw mayor.
  10. Web site: Farmers protest animal rights bill that is dividing Poland's ruling party. 16 September 2020.
  11. Web site: Polish ruling coalition loses parliamentary majority after MPS quit. 25 June 2021.
  12. Web site: Powstała Partia Republikańska – nowa siła polityczna Adama Bielana. Na sali Jarosław Kaczyński. 20 June 2021. 20 June 2021.
  13. Web site: Polish ruling coalition collapses amid media law protests. 10 August 2021.
  14. Web site: PiS podpisało z Kukiz'15 umowę o współpracy programowej. 31 May 2021.
  15. Web site: 2021-08-10. Poland's ruling coalition collapses after PM fires deputy. 2021-10-22. euronews. en.
  16. Web site: OdNowa liczy na lokalnych liderów. 2021-12-23. Rzeczpospolita. pl.
  17. Web site: Ociepa: Umowa koalicyjna uzgodniona. "OdNowa RP" będzie czwartym koalicjantem w Zjednoczonej Prawicy. www.gazetaprawna.pl. 28 October 2021 .
  18. Web site: 15 October 2023 . Opposition wins Polish election, according to exit poll . 15 October 2023 . POLITICO . 15 October 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231015191532/https://www.politico.eu/article/opposition-wins-polish-election-according-to-exit-poll-poland-kaczynski-duda-tusk-election-rule-of-law/ . live.
  19. Web site: Picheta . Rob . 15 October 2023 . Poland's opposition has path to oust populist ruling party, exit poll shows . 15 October 2023 . CNN . 15 October 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231015152206/https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/15/europe/poland-election-voting-intl/index.html . live.
  20. Web site: Prezydent Andrzej Duda wskazał, komu powierzy misję tworzenia rządu . 6 November 2023 . wiadomosci.onet.pl . 6 November 2023 . pl.
  21. Web site: Prezydent wszystkich Polaków (którzy głosowali na PiS) . 6 November 2023 . wiadomosci.onet.pl . 6 November 2023 . pl.
  22. Web site: New broom in Poland's parliament as the opposition takes power . Wojciech Kość . 13 November 2023 . . 17 November 2023.
  23. Web site: Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska wybrana marszałkiem Senatu . pl. 13 November 2023 . 17 November 2023 . Rzeczpospolita.
  24. Web site: Polish prime minister loses confidence vote, clearing way for Donald Tusk . . 2023-12-11 . 2023-12-11 . 11 December 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231211160724/https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/all-eyes-polish-parliament-tusk-set-become-pm-2023-12-11/ . live .
  25. Web site: Donald Tusk nominated as Polish prime minister . . 2023-12-11 . 2023-12-11 . 11 December 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231211155124/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-67681940 . live .
  26. News: Donald Tusk appointed Polish PM, setting stage for warmer EU ties . Reuters . 11 December 2023 . Koper . Anna . Wlodarczak-Semczuk . Anna . 11 December 2023 . 11 December 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231211160724/https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/all-eyes-polish-parliament-tusk-set-become-pm-2023-12-11/ . live .
  27. Web site: Does PiS party want to change its name? . 2024-06-22 . www.pap.pl.
  28. Web site: Wróblewski . Michał . 2024-06-17 . PiS połączy się z Suwerenną Polską. "To kwestia czasu". Znamy warunki . 2024-06-22 . wiadomosci.wp.pl . pl.
  29. Web site: 2024-06-17 . PiS połączy się z Suwerenną Polską? "To kwestia czasu" . 2024-06-22 . Do Rzeczy . pl.
  30. Web site: 2024-06-04 . PiS zmieni nazwę?! Ekspert bezlitośnie: nie będzie, co zbierać . 2024-06-22 . Fakt . pl.
  31. Web site: 2021-04-25. Poland's senior right-wing party moving to govern alone. 2021-10-22. AP NEWS. en.
  32. Web site: Frakcje w PiS. Jarosław Kaczyński, Andrzej Duda, Mateusz Morawiecki... jakie są grupy interesu w PiS?. Witold. Głowacki. 15 December 2017. Polska Times.
  33. Web site: W PiS wrze! Za kulisami toczą się wewnętrzne wojenki. Kto z kim się gryzie?. 22 June 2019. Fakt24.pl.
  34. Web site: Wojny PiSowskich frakcji. 3 April 2018.
  35. Web site: Wojna w PiS o wybory prezydenckie. Czy Morawiecki szkodzi Dudzie? [ANALIZA]]. 12 June 2020. Onet Wiadomości.
  36. Web site: Wraca wojna Ziobry z Morawieckim. PiS dociśnie pedał gazu [ANALIZA]]. 22 July 2020. Onet Wiadomości.
  37. Web site: STAN GRY: Polska zaczyna szczepić w tempie Niemiec, ale do liderów daleko, Gowin: Polityka ma być na lata, dlatego zaproszę opozycję do konsultacji, Zaremba: W PiS silny odruch, lekceważenia nie swoich wyborców, założenia, że dany jest mu na zawsze pakiet kontrolny, Mueller w TP: Szczepienia to też wyścig gospodarczy. 12 January 2021.
  38. Web site: Wyborcza.pl. wyborcza.pl.
  39. Web site: Petru: Muzealny etatyzm PiS. www.rp.pl.
  40. Web site: Ziemkiewicz krytykuje PiS za etatyzm. Radosław. Kowalski. 20 November 2015. Nasze Miasto.
  41. Web site: Mateusz Morawiecki: robotnicza myśl socjalistyczna jest głęboko obecna w filozofii Prawa i Sprawiedliwości. 22 July 2019. Andrzej Turczyn.
  42. Web site: Roman Giertych: PiS - partia realnego socjalizmu. 1 May 2020. TheFad.pl - Polska i Świat. Opinie i komentarze.
  43. Web site: Kaczyński: PO to "lewacki ekstremizm". Budka: PiS to "narodowy socjalizm". Kto ma rację? Sprawdzamy. oko.press.
  44. Web site: PiS to nie jest żadna prawica. gazetapl.
  45. Łuniewski, M. (2012). Ruchy eurorealistyczne i eurosceptyczne we współczesnej Polsce. Jagiellonian University
  46. STIFTUNG, I. H. (September 2009). Religia, polityka i równość płci w Polsce. Université Versailles St Quentin-en-Yvelines & University of Warsaw.
  47. Web site: 2016-02-20 . Prawica Rzeczypospolitej apeluje do PiS o "wzajemne realizowanie postanowień umowy" Prawapolityka.pl . 2024-06-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160220055540/http://prawapolityka.pl/2015/09/prawica-rzeczypospolitej-apeluje-do-pis-o-wzajemne-realizowanie-postanowien-umowy/ . 20 February 2016 .
  48. Web site: 2018-08-28 . PiS wykluczył Prawicę Rz. z koalicji. Jest reakcja! – Prawapolityka.pl . 2024-06-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180828045714/http://prawapolityka.pl/2016/06/pis-wykluczyl-prawice-rz-z-koalicji-jest-reakcja/ . 28 August 2018 .
  49. Web site: Mizera . Radosław . Rozłam wśród radnych prawicy . 2024-06-22 . radioplus.com.pl . pl-pl.
  50. Web site: Partia Republikańska - Pozycja 3817 - Numer 16/2020 (5906) z 24 stycznia 2020 r. - Internetowy Monitor Sądowy i Gospodarczy . 2024-06-21 . www.imsig.pl.
  51. Web site: 2017-11-04 . Jarosław Gowin przedstawił nazwę nowej partii. Odczytano list prezesa PiS . 2024-06-22 . Wprost . pl.
  52. Web site: 2019-08-17 . Wybory – Wolni i Solidarni . 2024-06-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190817184044/https://wolniisolidarni.pl/wybory/ . 17 August 2019 .
  53. News: Junior partner leaves Poland's ruling coalition . 11 August 2021 . . 11 August 2021.
  54. Web site: To koniec Zjednoczonej Prawicy. Zarząd Porozumienia podjął decyzję - Forsal.pl . 2024-06-21 . forsal.pl.
  55. Web site: Zjednoczenie Prawa i Sprawiedliwości z Partią Republikańską . 2024-06-21 . Prawo i Sprawiedliwość - Internetowy Serwis Informacyjny.
  56. Web site: Posłowie Kukiz'15 nie wejdą do klubu parlamentarnego PiS? "Rozmowy trwają" . 2024-06-21 . Rzeczpospolita . pl.
  57. Web site: 2024-04-29 . Kilkanaście partii przestanie istnieć. Wśród nich Stronnictwo "Piast" i Rodacy Kamraci . 2024-06-22 . Wprost . pl.