POLAND

LAST ELECTIONS

Also available: Archive of past election results for this chamber

Chamber:

Senat

Dates of election / renewal (from/to):

21 October 2007

Purpose of elections:

Elections were held for all the seats of the Senate following premature dissolution of the body on 8 September 2007. Elections to the Senate had previously taken place on 25 September 2005.

Background and outcome of elections:

Following the collapse of the ruling coalition in August, parliamentary elections were held on 21 October 2007, two years earlier than the official due date.

In the previous elections held in September 2005 in parallel with presidential elections, the conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party, led by Mr. Jaroslaw Kaczynski, won 155 of the 460 seats in the Sejm (lower house), while the Civic Platform (PO) led by a well-known free market advocate, Mr. Donald Tusk, took 133. The latter's presidential election rival and the PiS leader's twin brother, Mr. Lech Kaczynski, was elected as the country's new President.

The PiS and the PO, which won 49 and 34 seats respectively in the 100-member Senate, were unable to agree on the formation of a coalition government. Consequently, prime minister-elect, Mr. Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz (PiS), formed a one-party minority government on 31 October 2005. His government won a vote of confidence in the Sejm on 10 November, with the support of the PiS, the Self-Defence Party (which won 56 seats in the Sejm, and three in the Senate), the League of Polish Families (LPR, 34 and seven seats respectively), the Polish Peasant Party (PSL, 25 and two seats), as well as some independent parliamentarians.

However, Prime Minister Marcinkiewicz, known for his moderate economic and foreign policy, was reportedly in conflict with the country's President, Mr. Kaczynski. In July 2006, Mr. Marcinkiewicz resigned as Prime Minister, and was succeeded by the President's twin brother, Jaroslaw Kaczynski (PiS). The latter then formed a coalition with the Self-Defence Party, led by Mr. Andrzej Lepper and the LPR of Mr. Roman Giertych. The new government experienced tensions with the Russian Federation and the European Union, partly due to its resistance to the privatization of certain State-owned companies.

Mr. Kaczynski's government underwent a series of crises before it officially collapsed in August 2007. The Self-Defence Party leader and Agriculture Minister Mr. Lepper, was dismissed in July following corruption allegations, while Interior Minister Janusz Kaczmarek of the PiS was dismissed in August. Both coalition partners withdrew their ministers from the government. Mr. Kaczmarek was arrested in late August, accused of leaking classified information on the investigation into corruption charges brought against Mr. Lepper. Opposition parties accused the Prime Minister of trying to silence his opponents prior to snap elections.

On 7 September, the Sejm voted to dissolve itself, paving the way for early elections - the eighth since the fall of communism in 1989.

In all, 6,187 candidates, including 1,428 women, ran for the Sejm, while 385 candidates, including 46 women, vied for seats in the Senate.

The 2007 elections again saw a duel between the PiS, led by Mr. Jaroslaw Kaczynski, and the PO of Mr. Tusk. The PiS promised to continue its policies, focusing on the domestic economy and promising tax cuts. It appealed to voters to support it in the interest of steady economic growth. The PO pledged to introduce a flat income tax of 15 per cent and to continue the privatization of State companies that stagnated under the PiS-led government. It promised to forge better ties with neighbouring countries, and pledged to introduce the European single currency - the Euro - as soon as possible, to further economic development. Mr. Tusk also promised to work towards the withdrawal of Polish troops from Iraq.

The Left Democratic Alliance (SLD), which had won 55 seats in the Sejm in the 2005 elections, formed an election coalition - LiD - with the Social Democracy of Poland (SDPL), the Democratic Party (PD), and the Labour Union (UP) in September 2006. The coalition was led by former president Mr. Aleksander Kwasniewski. He criticized the PiS-led government, arguing that the country could not afford a radical reduction of taxation.

A total of 53.88 per cent of the country's 30 million registered voters turned out at the polls, representing the highest turnout in the post-communist era. Due to the higher than expected turnout, some polling stations ran out of ballot papers, and others stayed open longer than scheduled, thus delaying the release of the first exit polls by nearly three hours.

The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) observed the polls. Although it declared the elections to be pluralistic and democratic, it noted "sporadic partial interventions by State organs" in the election campaign.

The final results gave the PO 209 seats in the Sejm and 60 seats in the Senate. The PiS took 166 and 39 seats respectively. The LiD and the Polish Peasant Party (PSL) took 53 and 31 seats in the Sejm, while the remaining one seat went to the German minority. One independent candidate was elected to the Senate. Outgoing Prime Minister, Mr. Jaroslaw Kaczynski, conceded defeat.

The newly elected parliament held its first session on 5 November. The Sejm elected Mr. Bronislaw Komorowski (PO) as its new Speaker, while Mr. Bogdan Borusewicz (independent) was re-elected as the Senate President.

On 9 November, President Kaczynski designated Mr. Tusk as Prime Minister. His new cabinet was officially sworn in on 16 November. It won a vote of confidence in the Sejm on 23 November.

STATISTICS


Round no 1 (21 October 2007): Election results
Number of registered electors		30'615'471
Voters		16'494'503 (53.88%)
Blank or invalid ballot papers		303'699
Valid votes		16'190'804



Round no 1: Distribution of votes

Political Group	Candidates	Votes	%
Civic Platform (PO)	85
Law and Justice (PiS)	87
Independents	1

Round no 1: Distribution of seats

Political Group

Total

Civic Platform (PO)

Law and Justice (PiS)

Independents

Comments:

Sources:
- http://www.wybory2007.pkw.gov.pl/SNT/EN/WYN/W/index.htm
- Polish Inter-Parliamentary Group (25.10.2007)
- Senate (21.02.2008)

Distribution of seats according to sex:

Men:

Women:

Percent of women:

8.00

Distribution of seats according to age:


31 to 40 years	14
41 to 50 years	24
51 to 60 years	44
61 to 70 years	16
Over 70 years	2

Distribution of seats according to profession:

Civil/public servants/administrators (including social/development workers)		25
Educators		22
Clerical occupations		11
Business/trade/industry employees, including executives		11
Farmers/agricultural workers (including wine growers)		8
Medical professions (doctors, dentists, nurses)		7
Legal professions		5
Media-related professions (journalists/publishers)		5
Scientists and researchers		2
Engineers/PC experts		2
Bankers (including invest bankers)/accountants		1
Liberal professions (including artists, authors) and sports professionals		1

Also available: Archive of past election results for this chamber

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