This article lists current political parties in Poland, as well as former parties dating back as far as 1918. Since 1989, Poland has had a multi-party system, with numerous competing political parties. Individual parties normally do not manage to gain power alone, and usually work with other parties to form coalition governments.
Figures in parentheses reflect initial number of seats won by party (if different from current number), prior to splits, defections, etc.
Civic Platform (PO) – One of the two major parties on the Polish political scene since 2005, PO first entered the Sejm in 2001. Leading party in government to 2007 and 2015. Member of the European People's Party.
Law and Justice (PiS) – Along with PO, PiS is one of the two major parties since 2005, first entering the Sejm in 2001. It was the leading party in government from 2005–2007 and became the new political government in November 2015. Member of the Alliance of Conservatives and Reformists in Europe.
Modern (.N) - Liberal party, founded in late May 2015 by the economist Ryszard Petru
Polish People's Party (PSL) – Agrarian party, founded in 1990, PSL has been represented in the Sejm since its inception. Support levels for PSL have been more stable than for any other Polish political party since 1989. PSL normally scores 7–9% of the popular vote, and achieved its best result at the 1993 legislative elections, where it polled over 15%. Member of the European People's Party.
United Poland (SP) – Right-wing and Eurosceptic party which split from PiS, following the expulsion of Zbigniew Ziobro and his factional allies from the party, following the 2011 parliamentary elections.
Poland Together (PR) – Splinter party formed in 2013 under the leadership of Jaroslaw Gowin, breaking away from Civic Platform.
Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) – The largest centre-left party (a coalition of parties until 1999) on the political scene, SLD was the major party of government from 1993–1997 and 2001–2005. Since 2005, SLD's dominance has been successfully challenged by PO and PiS. Member of the Party of European Socialists.
Labor United (UP) – Small social-democratic party which usually aligns itself with the Democratic Left Alliance. Member of the Party of European Socialists.
Coalition for the Renewal of the Republic–Liberty and Hope (KORWiN) - Polish right-libertarian and eurosceptic political party established in 2015 by Janusz Korwin-Mikke as a result of his removal from his former party, Congress of the New Right.
Right Wing of the Republic (Prawica RP) - party founded by former Marshal of the Sejm Marek Jurek on 20 April 2007 after he had left Law and Justice on 16 April 2007, when the Sejm failed to pass a constitutional amendment protecting prenatal life.
National Movement (RN) - political party, first formed as an electoral alliance of right-wing and far-right nationalist political movements in Poland, which have signed an ideological agreement, including nationalists from National Radical Camp and the All-Polish Youth, and conservative-libertarianist Real Politics Union, the only political party taking part in the agreement.
Union of European Democrats (UED) - party founded by former Democratic Party – demokraci.pl members and former members of parliament from Civic Platform party. It is a member of Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe.
Solidarity Electoral Action (AWS) – Coalition grouping in Poland, AWS was the political arm of the Solidarity trade union movement, and dominated government from 1997–2001. Suffered a severe defeat at 2001 legislative elections, after which it failed to win any parliamentary seats. The grouping was disbanded shortly thereafter.
Democratic Union (UD)/Freedom Union (UW) – The UD was one of the leading post-Solidarity groupings, and was formed in 1990. It merged with the Liberal Democratic Congress to form the UW in 1994. The UW lost all its seats in the Sejm at the 2001 elections. It reinvented itself as the Democratic Party in 2005.
Social Democracy of the Republic of Poland (SdRP) – founded in 1990 as the successor of the Polish United Workers' Party, was succeeded itself by the Democratic Left Alliance upon its establishment as a single political party in 1999.
Self-Defence of the Republic of Poland (Samoobrona) – A major but controversial agrarian party which first won election to the Sejm in 2001. Samoobrona participated in a coalition government dominated by PiS, 2006–2007. Samoobrona lost its Sejm representation after the 2007 elections, and its European Parliamentary representation in 2009.
League of Polish Families (LPR) – a right-wing party, in the Sejm from 2001. Formed a coalition government with PiS and Samoobrona in 2006–2007. Lost all of its seats in the Sejm after the 2007 elections, and lost all EU parliamentary seats after the European elections of 2009.
Your Movement (TR) – Liberal, anti-clerical party, founded as Palikot's Movement (RP) in 2010 by maverick M.P Janusz Palikot, a former Civic Platform politician. RP created something of a stir at the 2011 elections, where it polled 10% of the vote, making it the third largest party, ahead of two of the established parties, PSL and SLD. In October 2013 RP merged with a few smaller parties to form a new party, Your Movement
Catholic-National Movement (Ruch Katolicko-Narodowy, RKN), (national conservative); leader: Małgorzata Romanowicz
Communist Party of Poland (Komunistyczna Partia Polski, KPP) (Marxist-Leninist); leader: Krzysztof Szwej
Confederation of Independent Poland (Konfederacja Polski Niepodległej, KPN) (neo-Sanacja, nationalist); leader: Władysław Borowiec
Congress of the New Right (Kongres Nowej Prawicy, KNP) (conservative, liberal conservative, eurosceptic); leader: Michał Marusik
Conservative People's Party (Stronnictwo Konserwatywno-Ludowe, SKL) (christian democratic, conservative); leader: Marek Zagórski
Democratic Party (Stronnictwo Demokratyczne, SD) (liberal); leader: Paweł Piskorski
Direct Democracy (Demokracja Bezpośrednia, DB) (direct democracy, decentralism); leader: Adam Kotucha
God bless you! (Szczęść Boże!) (conservative, monarchist, eurosceptic); leader: Grzegorz Braun
Greens 2004 (Zieloni 2004) (green politics, feminist, social democratic); leader: Agnieszka Grzybek, Adam Ostolski
National Party of Retirees and Pensioners (Krajowa Partia Emerytów i Rencistów, KPEiR) (social democratic, social liberal); leader: Tomasz Mamiński
National People's Movement (Ruch Ludowo-Narodowy), (christian democratic, eurosceptic, national conservative); leader: Krzysztof Filipek
National Radical Camp (Obóz Narodowo-Radykalny), extreme right, anti-communist, nationalist
National Revival of Poland (Narodowe Odrodzenie Polski, NOP) (corporatist, nationalist); leader: Adam Gmurczyk
New Left (Nowa Lewica, NL); (democratic socialist, Trotskyist, anti-globalist); leader: Piotr Ikonowicz
Polish Left (Polska Lewica, PL) (social democratic); leader: Jacek Zdrojewski
Polish National Community (Polska Wspólnota Narodowa, PWN) (nationalist, anti-clerical, antisemitic, racist); leader: Bolesław Tejkowski
Polish National Party (Polska Partia Narodowa, PPN) (nationalist, antisemitic, chauvinist); leader: Leszek Bubel
Pirate Party of Poland ("Polska Partia Piratów", P3) (Pirate politics); leader: Radosław Pietroń
Polish Socialist Party (Poska Partia Socjalistyczna, PPS); (democratic socialist, social democratic); leader: Bogusław Gorski
Polish Labour Party (Polska Partia Pracy, PPP); (democratic socialist, anti-globalist, syndicalist); leader: Bogusław Ziętek
Reason Party (RACJA Polskiej Lewicy, RACJA PL) (anti-clerical, social democratic); leader: Ryszard Dąbrowski
Republic Right Party (Prawica Rzeczypospolitej, PR) (conservative); leader: Marek Jurek
Social Democracy of Poland (Socjaldemokracja Polska, SDPL); (social democratic); leader: Wojciech Filemonowicz
Together (Razem) (social democratic); leader: collective leadership
Union of the Left (Unia Lewicy, UL) (social democratic, anti-clerical); leader: Piotr Musiał
Union of Real Politics (Unia Polityki Realnej, UPR) (liberal conservative, libertarian); leader: Bartosz Józwiak
Women's Party (Partia Kobiet, PK) (feminist); leader: Iwona Piątek
The transition from a mono-party Communist regime to liberal democracy and pluralism resulted in new political parties mushrooming in the early 1990s. After the first free parliamentary elections in 1991 seats in the Sejm were divided among more than a dozen different parties (amongst them such curiosities as the Polish Beer-Lovers' Party (Polska Partia Przyjaciół Piwa), led by a popular comedy actor, Janusz Rewiński). The existence of so many parties in the Sejm was seen by many as being counterproductive to the effectiveness of the parliament and a hindrance towards producing stable governments. Consequently, electoral reform was undertaken and an electoral threshold for the Lower House was instituted prior to the 1993 elections. The set threshold required a minimum vote of 5% for parties (with exemptions for ethnic minority parties) and 8% for electoral coalitions. The threshold was set at the national, rather than divisional, level, and had the effect of preventing a large number of minor parties from winning seats in later elections. The threshold also prevented independent candidates from gaining election to the Sejm. Since 1990, the left side of the political scene has generally been dominated by former Communists turned social democrats. The right has largely comprised (former) Solidarity activists and supporters, but experienced deep divisions from the beginning, and showed less cohesiveness than the left. The right were unable to create a single bloc which could act as a lasting counterweight to the left-wing monolith, but instead, kept merging, splitting and renaming. Even so, the parties of the right did manage to win government again from 1997-2001 (having initially governed from 1989–93).
Since the parliamentary elections of 2005, the right-wing parties have dominated the political scene, and appear to be in their strongest position to date. Two important developments in the political landscape have taken place since 2005. Firstly, the SLD (Communist successor) party is no longer the major, or one of the two major parties. Secondly, the main political battleground is no longer between the ex-Solidarity right versus the ex-Communist left. The new competing groupings are those of the Law and Justice party (promoting nationalistic and conservative social policies) and the Civic Platform (representing a more conservative-liberal position). The general public disapproval of politics and politicians as a whole has resulted in almost all major parties excluding the very word "party" from their names, replacing it with words less associated with politics, such as "union", "platform", "league" or "alliance".
All political parties and organizations since 1989
This is a list of political organizations registered in Poland as political parties, societies, foundations, trade unions, electoral committees, electoral alliances and informal groups:
Solidarity Electoral Action (AWS) – Akcja Wyborcza Solidarność
Akcja Wyborcza Solidarność Prawicy (AWS-P) – Solidarity Electoral Action of the Right
Christian Democracy of the 3rd Polish Republic (ChD) – Chrześcijańska Demokracja III Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej
Christian-Democratic Labour Party – Chrześcijańsko-Demokratyczne Stronnictwo Pracy (ChDSP)
Christian-Democratic Party 'Unity' – Chrześcijańsko-Demokratyczne Stronnictwo 'Zjednoczenie' (ChDS'Z')
Christian Labour Party – Chrześcijańska Partia Pracy (ChD)
Christian Citizens' Movement – Chrześcijański Ruch Obywatelski (ChRO)
Christian Social Association – Chrześcijańskie Stowarzyszenie Społeczne (ChSS)
Democratic Party – demokraci.pl – Partia Demokratyczna (PD)
Democratic Right Forum – Forum Prawicy Demokratycznej (FDP)
Democratic Right Fraction – Frakcja Prawicy Demokratycznej (FDP)
Catholic Intellectuals Club – Klub Inteligencji Katolickiej (KIK)
Citizens' Committee 'Solidarity' – Komitet Obywatelski 'Solidarność' (KO 'S')
Communist Party of Poland (KPP) – Komunistyczna Partia Polski
Confederation of Independent Poland (KPN) – Konfederacja Polski Niepodległej
Liberal Democratic Congress (KLD) – Kongres Liberalno-Demokratyczny
National Citizens Committee – Krajowy Komitet Obywatelski (KKO)
Left and Democrats (LiD) – Lewica i Demokraci
League of Polish Families – Liga Polskich Rodzin (LPR), see also League and Self-Defense (Liga i Samoobrona) (LiS)
National Revival of Poland (NOP) – Narodowe Odrodzenie Polski
(Independent) Polish Socialist Party – (Niezależna) Polska Partia Socjalistyczna ((N)PPS)
Independent Students' Union (NZS) – Niezależne Zrzeszenie Studentów
Independent Self-Governing Trade Union "Solidarity" – Niezależny Samorządny Związek Zawodowy "Solidarność" (NSZZ"S")
Independent Self-Governing Trade Union "Solidarity '80" – Niezależny Samorządny Związek Zawodowy Solidarność'80 (NSZZ"S'80")
Independent Self-Governing Trade Union of Independent Farmers "Solidarity" – Niezależny Samorządny Związek Zawodowy Rolników Indywidualnych 'Solidarność' (NSZZ"S")
Citizen's Parliamentarian Caucus – Obywatelski Klub Parlamentarny (OKP)
Revived Polish Socialist Party – Odrodzona Polska Partia Socjalistyczna (OPPS)
All-Poland Alliance of Trade Unions (OPZZ) – Ogólnopolskie Porozumienie Związków Zawodowych
Organizacja Monarchistów Polskich – Organization of Polish Monarchists
Centre Party – Partia Centrum (Centrum)
Christian Democrats Party – Partia Chrześcijańskich Demokratów (PChD)
Democratic Party – demokraci.pl (PD) – Partia Demokratyczna – demokraci.pl
Poland Comes First (PJN) – Polska Jest Najważniejsza
Polish Labour Party (PPP) – Polska Partia Pracy
Polish Beer-Lovers' Party – Polska Partia Przyjaciół Piwa (PPPP)
Polish Social Democratic Party – Polska Partia Socjaldemokratyczna (PPS)
Polish Socialist Party – Polska Partia Socjalistyczna (PPS)
Polish Socialist Party – Democratic Revolution – Polska Partia Socjalistyczna – Rewolucja Demokratyczna (PPS-RD)
Poland Plus – (PP) Polska Plus
Poland Together (PR) – Polska Razem
Polish Social Democratic Union – Polska Unia Socialdemokratyczna (PUS)
Polish Catholic-Social Union – Polski Związek Katolicko-Społeczny (PZKS)
Polish Christian-Democratic Forum – Polskie Forum Chrześcijańsko-Demokratyczne (PFChD)
Polish Peasant's Party 'Mikolajczyk' – Polskie Stronnictwo Ludowe 'Mikołajczykowskie' (PSL'M')
Polish Peasant's Party 'Revival' – Polskie Stronnictwo Ludowe 'Odrodzenie' (PSL'O')
Polish Peasant's Party 'Solidarity' – Polskie Stronnictwo Ludowe 'Solidarność' (PSL)
Civic Platform (PO) – Platforma Obywatelska
Platform of Janusz Korwin-Mikke – Platforma Janusza Korwin-Mikke (PJKM)
Centre Agreement (PC) – Porozumienie Centrum
Peasants' Agreement – Porozumienie Ludowe (PL)
Citizens' Centre Agreement – Porozumienie Obywatelskie Centrum (POC)
Law and Justice (PiS) – Prawo i Sprawiedliwość
Reason Party (RACJA PL) – RACJA Polskiej Lewicy
Democratic-Social Movement – Ruch Demokratyczno-Społeczny (RDS)
Labour People Movement – Ruch Ludzi Pracy (RPL)
Citizens' Movement for Democratic Action (ROAD) – Ruch Obywatelski Akcja Demokratyczna
Movement for Reconstruction of Poland – Ruch Odbudowy Polski (ROP)
Palikot's Movement (RP) – Ruch Palikota
Self-Defence of the Republic of Poland – Samoobrona, see also Liga i Samoobrona (LiS)
Social Democracy of Poland (SDPL) – Socjaldemokracja Polska
Social Democracy of the Republic of Poland (SdRP) – Socjaldemokracja Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej
Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) – Sojusz Lewicy Demokratycznej
United Poland (SP) – Solidarna Polska
Labour Solidarity – Solidarność Pracy (SP)
PAX Association (PAX) – Stowarzyszenie PAX
Democratic Party (SD) – Stronnictwo Demokratyczne
Conservative People's Party (SKL) – Stronnictwo Konserwatywno-Ludowe
National Party (SN) – Stronnictwo Narodowe
National-Democratic Party (SND) – Stronnictwo Narodowo-Demokratyczne
Party of Republican Loyalty – Stronnictwo Wierności Rzeczypospolitej (SWRP)
Your Movement – Twój Ruch (TR)
Christian-Social Union – Unia Chrześcijańsko-Społeczna (UChS)
Democratic Union (UD) – Unia Demokratyczna
Left Union – Unia Lewicy (UL)
Real Politics Union (UPR) – Unia Polityki Realnej
Labour United (UP) – Unia Pracy
Social-Democratic Union of Republic of Poland – Unia Socjaldemokratyczna RP (USdRP)
Freedom Union (UW) – Unia Wolności
Catholic Election Action – Wyborcza Akcja Katolicka (WAK)
Greens 2004 – Zieloni 2004 (since 3 March 2013 official name: Zieloni)
Christian National Union – Zjednoczenie Chrzescijansko-Narodowe (ZChN)
Polish Communists Union 'Proletariat' – Związek Komunistów Polskich 'Proletariat' (ZKP'P')
Underground political organizations in Poland, 1945–89
Confederation of Independent Poland – Konfederacja Polski Niepodległej (KPN)
Workers' Defence Committee – Komitet Obrony Robotników (KOR)
Movement for Defense of Human and Civic Rights – Ruch Obrony Praw Człowieka i Obywatela (ROPCiO)
Real Politics Union – Ruch Polityki Realnej (RPR)
Freedom and Independence – Wolność i Niezawisłość (WiN)
Freedom and Peace – Wolność i Pokój (WiP) (pl:Ruch Wolność i Pokój)
Solidarity – (solidarność)
Official political parties and organizations in the People's Republic of Poland, 1948–89
Parties
Polish United Workers' Party – Polska Zjednoczona Partia Robotnicza (PZPR) (Marxist–Leninist)
Democratic Party – Stronnictwo Demokratyczne (SD) (centrist, communist controlled)
United People's Party – Zjednoczone Stronnictwo Ludowe (ZSL) (agrarian, communist controlled)
Organizations
Front of National Unity – Front Jedności Narodu (FJN) – precursor of PRON
Patriotic Movement for National Rebirth – Patriotyczny Ruch Odrodzenia Narodowego (PRON) (consisted of PZPR, SD and ZSL members)
PAX Association – Stowarzyszenie PAX (catholic and nationalist, communist controlled)
Polish Socialist Youth Union – Związek Socjalistycznej Młodzieży Polskiej (ZSMP) (youth faction of PZPR)
Rural Youth Union – Związek Młodzieży Wiejskiej (ZMW) – (youth faction of ZSL) (pl:Związek Młodzieży Wiejskiej)
Official parties in Poland, 1945–48
Polish Workers' Party – Polska Partia Robotnicza (PPR) (communist)
Polish Socialist Party – Polska Partia Socjalistyczna (PPS)
People's Party – Stronnictwo Ludowe (SL) (agrarian, pro-communist)
Polish People's Party – Polskie Stronnictwo Ludowe – (agrarian, anti-communist)
Democratic Party – Stronnictwo Demokratyczne (centrist)
Agudath Israel
Bloc of National Minorities – Blok Mniejszosci Narodowych
Bund (General Jewish Labor Union)
Camp of National Unity – Obóz Zjednoczenia Narodowego, OZN ("Ozon", continuation of BBWR, nationalist)
Centrolew, "Center-Left" – coalition of parties.
Chjeno-Piast – coalition of that included the Polish People's Party "Piast" and Christian Association of National Unity
Christian Democracy – Labor Party – Chrześcijańska Demokracja (ChD)
Communist Party of Poland – Komunistyczna Partia Polski, KPP – (communist, illegal)
Folkspartei – Jewish People's Party ('Folkists')
German Socialist Labour Party of Poland – (German: Deutsche Sozialistische Arbeitspartei Polens, abbreviated DSAP, Polish: Niemiecka Socjalistyczna Partia Pracy w Polsce)
Labor Party – Stronnictwo Pracy, SP
National Democracy – Narodowa Demokracja, ND ("Endecja") (nationalist)
Popular National Union – Związek Ludowo-Narodowy, ZLN
National Party – Stronnictwo Narodowe, SN
National Radical Camp – Obóz Narodowo-Radykalny, ONR (extreme-right)
National Radical Camp ABC
National Radical Camp Falanga – Obóz Narodowo-Radykalny Falanga or Falanga
National Workers' Party – Narodowa Partia Robotnicza, NPR
Nonpartisan Bloc for Cooperation with the Government – Bezpartyjny Blok Współpracy z Rządem, BBWR (organization of Sanacja)
Peasant Party – Stronnictwo Chłopskie, SCh
People's Party – Stronnictwo Ludowe, SL
Polish People's Party PSL – Polish People's Party (agrarians)
Polish People's Party "Piast"
Polish People's Party "Wyzwolenie"
Polish Socialist Party – Polska Partia Socjalistyczna, PPS (socialist)
Polish Socialist Party – Revolutionary Faction – Polska Partia Socjalistyczna – Frakcja Rewolucyjna
Polish Socialist Party – Left – Polska Partia Socjalistyczna – Lewica
Sanation – Sanacja (meant to "restore health" to the body politic: authoritarian, centrist)
Ukrainian National Democratic Alliance – (UNDO) (Ukrainian: Українське національно-демократичне об'єднання, УНДО, Ukrayin'ske Natsional'no-Demokratichne Obyednannia, Polish: Ukraińskie Zjednoczenie Narodowo-Demokratyczne)
Związek Chłopski ZCh (Polish Wikipedia article)
Social Democracy of the Kingdom of Poland and Lithuania – Socjaldemokracja Krolestwa Polskiego i Litwy, SDKPiL
National-Democratic Party (Poland) – Stronnictwo Narodowo-Demokratyczne
Polish Socialist Party – Polska Partia Socjalistyczna
Polish Socialist Party – Left - Polska Partia Socjalistyczna - Lewica
Polish Socialist Party – Revolutionary Faction - Polska Partia Socjalistyczna - Frakcja Rewolucyjna
Polish Socialist-Democratic Party of Galicia and Cieszyn Silesia - Polska Partia Socjalno-Demokratyczna Galicji i Śląska Cieszyńskiego
Polish Socialist Party of the Prussian Partition - Polska Partia Socjalistyczna Zaboru Pruskiego
Progressive-Democratic Union – Związek Postępowo-Demokratyczny
Real Politics Party – Stronnictwo Polityki Realnej
Polish People's Party – Polskie Stronnictwo Ludowe
National Workers' Faction - Narodowe Stronnictwo Robotników
National Workers' Union - Narodowy Związek Robotników
Peasantry Union - Związek Stronnictwa Chłopskiego
Popular Christian Party - Stronnictwo Chrześcijańsko-Ludowe
Polish Popular Centre - Polskie Centrum Ludowe
Christian Democratic Party - Stronnictwo Chrześcijańskiej Demokracji
