Liberal Democratic Congress
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Liberal Democratic Congress Kongres Liberalno Demokratyczny | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Leader | Janusz Lewandowski (first) Donald Tusk (last) |
| Founders | Donald Tusk Janusz Lewandowski |
| Founded | 29 June 1990 |
| Dissolved | 23 April 1994 |
| Merged into | Freedom Union |
| Ideology | Conservative liberalism Pro-Europeanism |
| Political position | Centre-right |
| National affiliation | Centre Agreement (until 1991) |
| European affiliation | European Democrat Union |
The Liberal Democratic Congress (Polish: Kongres Liberalno-Demokratyczny (KLD)) was a conservative-liberal political party in Poland.[1].
The party, led by Donald Tusk, had roots in the Solidarity movement. It advocated free market economy and individual liberty (however in Catholic understanding), rejected extremism and fanaticism and favoured European integration (in the form of European Union membership), rapid privatisation of the enterprises still owned by the Polish state and decentralisation of the government.
Until 1991, was a part of the Centre Agreement led by the Kaczyński brothers. In the 1991 general elections KLD got 7.5% of the votes and 37 seats in the Sejm (total 460 seats). In 1993 KLD got 4.0% of the votes and was left without seats.
In 1994, the KLD merged with the Democratic Union (Unia Demokratyczna) to form the Freedom Union (Unia Wolności, UW), preserving its liberal ideals. Former members, including Lewandowski and Donald Tusk, later joined the Civic Platform (PO) in 2001, where they shaped its moderate conservative wing. The KLD’s legacy endures in Poland’s market-driven economy, EU membership (2004), and the political careers of its founders. Donald Tusk, the KLD’s final chairman (1991–1994), ascended to become Prime Minister of Poland (2007–2014) and President of the European Council (2014–2019), while Lewandowski served as EU Commissioner for Financial Programming and Budget (2010–2014), cementing the KLD’s enduring impact on Poland’s democratic trajectory.
Election results
[edit]Sejm
[edit]| Election year | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | Government |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 839,978 | 7.49 (#7) | 37 / 460
|
 37
|
PC–ZChN–PSL-PL–SLCh (1991–1992) |
| UD–ZChN–PChD–KLD–PSL-PL–SLCh–PPPP (1992–1993) | |||||
| 1993 | 550,578 | 3.99 (#10) | 0 / 460
|
 37
|
Extra-parliamentary |
Senate
[edit]| Election year | Seats | +/– | Government |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 6 / 100
|
PC–ZChN–PSL-PL–SLCh (1991–1992) | |
| UD–ZChN–PChD–KLD–PSL-PL–SLCh–PPPP (1992–1993) | |||
| 1993 | 1 / 100
|
5
|
SLD–PSL |
References
[edit]- ^ Jerzy Szacki (1994). Liberalism After Communism. Central European University Press. p. 182. ISBN 978-1-85866-016-5.
See also
[edit]- List of Liberal Democratic Congress politicians
- Contributions to liberal theory
- List of liberal parties
- Liberal democracy
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
- 1990 establishments in Poland
- 1994 disestablishments in Poland
- Catholic political parties
- Centrist parties in Poland
- Conservative liberal parties
- Conservative parties in Poland
- Defunct liberal political parties
- Defunct political parties in Poland
- Liberal parties in Poland
- Political parties disestablished in 1994
- Political parties established in 1990
- Pro-European political parties in Poland