Polish Beer-Lovers' Party Polska Partia Przyjaciół Piwa | |
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| Abbreviation | PPPP |
| Registered | 28 December 1990 (1990-12-28) |
| Dissolved | 28 May 1993 (1993-05-28) |
| Headquarters | Warsaw |
| Membership(1991) | >10,000 |
| Ideology | Initially: Political satire Beer-drinking advocacy Anti-communism Later: Reformism Green politics |
| Political position | Big tent |
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ThePolish Beer-Lovers' Party (PPPP;Polish:Polska Partia Przyjaciół Piwa,lit. 'Polish Party of Friends of Beer') was a satiricalPolish political party that was founded in 1990. Originally, the party's goal was to promote culturalbeer-drinking in English-stylepubs instead ofvodka (and, thus, fightalcoholism);[1] however, the party eventually developed a serious platform based ontax reform andgreen politics.[2]
The party was founded by the cast and crew of a late 80's Polish comedy series called "The Beer Scouts" (Polish:Skauci Piwni) as "a continuation of [the] TV program."Janusz Rewiński, an actor on the show, was elected leader of the party in April 1991.[3] Andrzej Kołodziejski and Adam Halber, two editors for the now defunct magazinePan, were responsible for most of the party's early promotion.[3][4]
The humorous name and disillusionment withPoland's political transformation led some Poles to vote for and/or join the party,[5] with it having 10,000 registered members by July 1991.[2] 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."[4]
Although it started as ajoke party, its members developed a serious platform with time, such as stopping the domestic sale ofleaded gasoline.[2] Moreover, the idea of 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.[citation needed]
In the1991 parliamentary elections, the PPPP won 16 seats in theSejm, capturing 3.27% of the vote.[6]
Soon after the election, the party split into Big Beer and Little Beer factions,[5][7] despite Rewiński's claims that "beer is neither light nor dark, it is tasty."[citation needed]Leszek Bubel [pl], future president of thePolish National Party, became leader of the PPPP in 1992 after Rewiński was accused of "cryptic financial operations." The PPPP dissolved in 1993 after it suffered a major defeat inthat year's parliamentary election,[3] receiving only 0.1% of the vote.[6]
The Big Beer faction assumed the namePolish Economic Program (PPG;Polish:Polski Program Gospodarczy).[1][5][7] Dropping its satirical element, it became associated with theDemocratic Union (UD). The Little Beer faction became associated with theLiberal Democratic Congress in a coalition of liberal pro-market parties, which supported the candidacy ofHanna Suchocka as prime minister.[5]
In 2007, there was an unsuccessful attempt to revive the party by activists associated with Bubel.[8]
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