Polish Beer-Lovers' Party

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The Polish Beer-Lovers' Party (PPPP; Polish: Polska Partia Przyjaciół Piwa) was founded in 1990, one of its leaders being the satirist Janusz Rewiński. Originally, the party's goal was to promote cultural beer-drinking in English-style pubs instead of vodka and thus fight alcoholism.[1]

The humorous name and disillusionment with Poland's political transformation led some Poles to vote for the party. The nature of the party's appeal to its supporters was reflected in frequently-heard remarks that maybe with the PPPP at the helm "it wouldn't be better but for sure it would be funnier."

Although it may have started as a prank, with time, its members developed a serious platform. Moreover, the idea of a political discussion in establishments that served quality beer became a symbol of freedom of association and expression, intellectual tolerance, and a higher standard of living. Its humorous name probably helped the party win votes from a politically disenchanted populace in the 1991 parliamentary elections.[2]

In the 1991 parliamentary elections the PPPP won 16 seats in the Sejm capturing 2.97% of the vote.[3] The party soon split into Large Beer and Small Beer factions, despite Rewiński's claims that "beer is neither light nor dark, it is tasty." Eventually the PPPP was dissolved.

The Large Beer faction assumed the name "Polish Economic Program." Losing its image of quirkiness, the Polish Economic Program became associated with the Democratic Union (Poland) (UD) and the Liberal Democratic Congress (KLD) in the Little Coalition of liberal promarket parties and supported the candidacy of Hanna Suchocka as prime minister.[4]

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ "Rozmowy - Janusz Rewiński - Lepiej nie będzie, ale weselej" (Interview - Janusz Rewiński - it won't be better, but funnier), retrieved on October 6, 2007. (Polish)
  2. ^ Bachman, Ronald D. (1992) Chapter 4 - Government and Politics "Poland - Beer-Lovers' Party" Library of Congress Country Studies, Call Number DK4040 .P57 1994, retrieved on October 6, 2007.
  3. ^ wybory parlamentarne 1991r. (parliamentary elections in 1991), retrieved on October 6, 2007. (Polish)
  4. ^ Bachman, Ronald D. (1992) Chapter 4 - Government and Politics "Poland - Beer-Lovers' Party" Library of Congress Country Studies, Call Number DK4040 .P57 1994, retrieved on October 6, 2007.

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