The Unia Wolności (Freedom Union, UW) is a liberal party in Poland, which was founded on March 20, 1994 out of the merger of the Democratic Union (Unia Demokratyczna, UD) and the Congress of Liberal Democrats (Kongres Liberalno-Demokratyczny, KLD). Both of these parties had roots in the Solidarity movement. It represented European liberal tradition, i.e. it advocated free market economy and individual liberty, rejected all 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.

In 1991 general elections KLD got 7,5% of the votes and 37 seats in the Sejm (total 460 seats) and UD got 12,3% of the votes and 62 seats. In 1993 KLD got 4,0% of the votes and was left without seats, UD got 10,6% of the votes and 74 seats. In 1997 UW got 13,4% of the votes and 60 seats. In 2001 it got 3,1% of the votes and was left without seats.

In January 2001 some members of the party's right wing decided to move to join the new Platforma Obywatelska (Citizens' Platform, PO), which got 12,7% of the votes 65 seats in the 2001 general elections whilst Unia Wolnosci failed to cross the 5% threshold required to gain entry to Parliament. Unia Wolnosci still exists today as a social-liberal party, but it lost some of its relevance in Polish politics. It consistently enjoys the support of approximately 3% of voters. Surprisingly, the party managed to cross the required 5% threshold in the 2004 European Parliament elections, receiving 7% of votes and 4 of 54 seats reserved for Poland in the European Parliament as part of the European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party, of which it is a member.

Leaders

• Władysław Frasyniuk - party chairman

Members of Polish Parliament (Sejm)

none in this term, since 2001

Members of Polish Senate

• Olga Teresa Krzyzanowska - caucus vicechairperson
• Dorota Simonides
• Kazimierz Kutz
• Andrzej Jan Wielowieyski - caucus chairman
• Grazyna Ewa Staniszewska (until June 13 2004, elected to the European Parliament)

Members of the European Parliament

• Bronisław Geremek, historian and politician, ex-minister of foreign affairs
• Jan Kułakowski , journalist, ex Poland-EU negotiator
• Janusz Onyszkiewicz, mathematician and politician, vicepresident of the European Parliament
• Grażyna Staniszewska , politician, senator

Former members of Freedom Union

• Jan Maria Rokita - now Platforma Obywatelska
• Donald Tusk - now Platforma Obywatelska
• Janusz Lewandowski - now Platforma Obywatelska
• Jacek Kuroń - died 17 June, 2004

See also

• Liberalism in Poland

See also

• Liberalism
• Contributions to liberal theory
• Liberalism worldwide
• List of liberal parties
• Liberal democracy

External Links

• Official web site