United Poland

United Poland
Leader Zbigniew Ziobro
Secretary-General Andrzej Dera
Founded 24 March 2012
Split from Law and Justice
Ideology Progressive conservatism
National conservatism
National Catholicism
Solidarism
Keynesianism
Political position Right-wing
European affiliation Movement for a Europe of Liberties and Democracy
European Parliament group European Conservatives and Reformists (2009–2012)
Europe of Freedom and Democracy (2012–2014)
Colours Red, Blue
Sejm
11 / 460
Senate
0 / 100
European Parliament
0 / 51
Website
www.solidarna.org.pl
Politics of Poland
Political parties
Elections

United Poland (Polish: Solidarna Polska, meaning Solidary Poland), abbreviated to SP, is a right-wing political party in Poland.

Ideology

The party is socially conservative. It is opposed to abortion and euthanasia, and supports extending maternity leave to nine months.[1] Its staunch opposition to gay marriage was cited as a main reason it left the ECR group in the European Parliament.[2]

Economically the party follows a line of progressive conservatism calling for government intervention in the economy, especially tax policy. The party has called for a 'fat cat' tax on big companies, including supermarkets, and backs higher taxes on those that earn over 10,000 złotych (€2,400) a month. It opposes the construction of a nuclear power plant in Poland.[1][3]

History

The party was founded in 2012 by Law and Justice (PiS) MEP Zbigniew Ziobro, who led the party's conservative Catholic-nationalist faction.[4]

After Ziobro and fellow MEPs Tadeusz Cymański and Jacek Kurski were ejected from PiS for disloyalty on 4 November 2011,[1] Ziobro's supporters within PiS formed a new group in the Sejm.[5] Despite claims that the new group was not attempting to form a new party, the MPs were expelled from Law and Justice.[6]

On 26 December, their MEPs left the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) to join the Europe of Freedom and Democracy (EFD) group in opposition to the ECR's more liberal stance on gay marriage, its support for the EU's climate change policy, and its advocacy of cuts to the Common Agricultural Policy.[2]

The party was officially launched on 24 March 2012. At the time, opinion polls put the party on just 2%.[1]

Right Wing of the Republic has offered co-operation with the United Poland.[7]

Representatives

Members of the Sejm

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "New Polish conservative party launched". TheNews.pl. 26 March 2012. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Brand, Constant (2 January 2012). "Polish MEPs leave ECR group". European Voice. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
  3. ↑ Gospodarka (Polish)
  4. ↑ "Party members 'furious' following conservative defeat". TheNews.pl. 11 October 2011. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
  5. ↑ "Conservative MPs form 'Poland United' breakaway group after dismissals". TheNews.pl. 8 November 2011. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
  6. ↑ "MPs axed by Law and Justice opposition". TheNews.pl. 15 November 2011. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
  7. ↑ Powstanie nowa partia na prawicy? Ziobro i Jurek już rozmawiają, portal onet.pl z 18 grudnia 2011.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Solidarna Polska.