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Liberal Democratic Congress Kongres Liberalno Demokratyczny | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Leader | Janusz Lewandowski (first) Donald Tusk (last) |
| Founders | Andrzej Voigt Donald Tusk Janusz Lewandowski |
| Founded | 29 June 1990 |
| Dissolved | 23 April 1994 |
| Split from | Solidarity Citizens' Committee |
| Merged into | Freedom Union |
| Ideology | Neoliberalism[1] Conservative liberalism[2] Pro-Europeanism |
| Political position | Centre-right[3] |
| National affiliation | Centre Agreement (until 1991) |
| European affiliation | European Democrat Union |
TheLiberal Democratic Congress (Polish:Kongres Liberalno-Demokratyczny,KLD) was aconservative-liberalpolitical party in Poland.[4] The party, led by Donald Tusk, had roots in the Solidarity movement. It advocated free market economy, individual liberty, European integration in the form of European Union membership, and rapid privatisation of the enterprises still owned by the Polish state and decentralisation of the government.
The party was founded in 1990 by the faction of Solidarity that strongly favoured free-market economy. Until 1991, was a part of the Centre Agreement led by the Kaczyński brothers. In the1991 Polish parliamentary election, KLD got 7.5% of the votes and 37 seats in the Sejm (total 460 seats). Composed of anti-communist neoliberals, the MPs of the Liberal Democratic Congress were heavily involved in theBalcerowicz Plan, a neoliberal "shock therapy" program which dismantled the socialist economy in Poland and introduced a free-market capitalist economy through radical deregulation and privatization measures.[5]
Widespread public discontent with the Balcerowicz Plan and neoliberal policies caused the party's support to sharply decline.[5] In the1993 Polish parliamentary election, KLD got 4.0% of the votes and was left without seats. The party then became increasingly marginalized and struggled to find a role for itself in Polish politics.[6]
In 1994, the KLD merged with theDemocratic Union (Unia Demokratyczna) to form theFreedom Union (Unia Wolności, UW), preserving its liberal ideals. Former members, including Lewandowski andDonald Tusk, later joined theCivic 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 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 |
| 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 |
The party advocated individual rights and neoliberal reforms.[7] The Liberal Democratic Congress was more radical on neoliberal economic postulates than theFreedom Union, postulating radical deregulation and arguing that "market rules took precedence of moral and political norms".[8] The party postulated a capitalist state based on the promotion of free enterprise, privatization and the consolidation of private ownership.[9]
The Liberal-Democratic Congress wanted to bring a "neoliberal and conservative revolution" to Poland based on the examples ofMargaret Thatcher andRonald Reagan. Economically, the party listedFriedrich Hayek,Ludwig Mises,Walter Lippmann andRaymond Aron as its patrons. The leader of the party, Donald Tusk, claimed that "the basic evil of communism was the omnipresence of state institutions" and that "progress willbe evident in privatization". The party also considered itself liberal-conservative.[10]
Liberal-Democratic Congress (KLD). The party developed in a neoliberal direction, which was underlined when Leszek Balcerowicz became its leader in 1995.
A group of liberal democratic parties advocated individual rights and neoliberal reforms (Democratic Union and the Liberal Democratic Congress), the social democratic left supported civic and socioeconomic rights (Democratic Left Alliance and the Labor Union), and the conservative-nationalist right advocated socioeconomic rights, but demanded the primacy of the family and the nation over the individual (e.g., the Christian-National Union) (Stanley 2011).
It is also worth noting that at one time or other left-wing parties (SdRP, SLD, UP), as well as the neoliberal KLD, favoured this option.
The KLD is already preparing for the election, although the lack of an electoral law makes precise actions impossible. We prefer alliances of electoral blocs or certain integrating movements in the direction of creating larger political organizations, for example, a broadly conceived liberal-conservative bloc.
She managed to bring together a parliamentary victory with a shaky coalition of her own Democratic Union, the Catholic Christian National Union, and the centre-right Liberal Democratic Congress.
A group of liberal democratic parties advocated individual rights and neoliberal reforms (Democratic Union and the Liberal Democratic Congress), the social democratic left supported civic and socioeconomic rights (Democratic Left Alliance and the Labor Union), and the conservative-nationalist right advocated socioeconomic rights, but demanded the primacy of the family and the nation over the individual (e.g., the Christian-National Union) (Stanley 2011).
Two main liberal parties existed in Poland at the beginning of transition: the Liberal-Democratic Congress (Kongres Liberalno-Demokratyczny – KLD) and the Democratic Union (Unia Demokratyczna – UD). The KLD believed in creating a democratic capitalist state, based upon the promotion of enterprise, privatisation and the consolidation of private ownership. (Kopczyński, 2000).
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