United People's Party (Poland)

The United People's Party (Polish: Zjednoczone Stronnictwo Ludowe, ZSL) was an agrarian socialist political party in the People's Republic of Poland. It was formed on 27 November 1949 from the merger of the pro-Communist Stronnictwo Ludowe party with remnants of the independent Polish People's Party of Stanisław Mikołajczyk.

United People's Party
Zjednoczone Stronnictwo Ludowe
First leaderJózef Niećko
Last leaderDominik Ludwiczak
Founded27 November 1949
Dissolved27–29 November 1989
Merger ofPolish People's Party
Polish People's Party "Nowe Wyzwolenie"
People's Party
Succeeded byPolish People's Party
HeadquartersGrzybowska 4,
00-131 Warsaw
Membership (1989)300,000
IdeologyAgrarian socialism
Political positionLeft-wing
ColorsGreen

ZSL became – as intended from its beginning – a satellite party of the Polish United Workers' Party (PZPR), representing the PZPR in the rural areas. It was a member of the Front of National Unity until 1982, and from 1982 it was a member of the Front's successor, the Patriotic Movement for National Rebirth. To keep up the appearance that Poland was ruled by a coalition, the Marshal of the Sejm (parliamentary speaker) was always a member of the ZSL.

After victory of the Solidarity trade union in the 1989 Polish legislative elections, together with the PZPR's other satellite party, the Alliance of Democrats, ZSL decided to support Solidarity. At the 27–29 November 1989 ZSL congress, ZSL became the Polskie Stronnictwo Ludowe - Odrodzenie ("Polish People's Party - Rebirth"). PSL-Odrodzenie merged with Polish People's Party "Wilanowskie", forming today's Polish People's Party.

Chairmen

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Electoral history

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Sejm elections

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Election Party leader Votes % Seats +/– Position
1952 Józef Niećko as part of FJN - PZPR
90 / 425
  90   2nd
1957 Stefan Ignar
118 / 459
  28   2nd
1961
117 / 460
  1   2nd
1965 Czesław Wycech
117 / 460
    2nd
1969[1]
117 / 460
    2nd
1972 Stanisław Gucwa
117 / 460
    2nd
1976
113 / 460
  4   2nd
1980
113 / 460
    2nd
1985 Roman Malinowski as part of PRON
106 / 460
  7   2nd
1989
76 / 460
  41   3rd

References

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  1. ^ "Kto wygra wybory prezydenckie i dlaczego Komorowski". 2 May 2015.