Party X

Party X
Partia X
LeaderStanisław Tymiński (1991–1995)
Józef Kossecki [pl] (1995–1999)
Founded10 December 1990
Dissolved15 February 1999
Headquartersul. Nowy Świat 29 m. 35,
00-029 Warszawa
Membership (1991)8,000[1]
IdeologyEconomic patriotism[2]
Anti-neoliberalism[3]
Protectionism[2]
Nationalism[4]
Populism[5]
Political positionCentre-left[6][7]
Colors
  •   Black
  •   Red
  •   White

Party X (Polish: Partia X) was a political party in Poland. The party was founded shortly after the 1990 presidential elections by Stanisław Tymiński, a dark horse candidate who received the second highest number of votes in the first round, qualifying for the second round and challenging, albeit unsuccessfully, popular trade union activist Lech Wałęsa.[1] Party X was Tymiński's personal party and sought to emulate his populist rhetoric, presenting itself as an anti-establishment outsider party.[8] The party proposed a new economic system in Poland called "labour capitalism" based on rejecting the influence and capital of both the United States and Russia in favour of reinforcing the 'economic sovereignty' of Poland and turning Poland into a 'utopia of smallholders' through a modernisation program.[2] At the same time, it criticised neoliberalism and deregulation.[3]

Shortly after foundation, the party was accused of being staffed by former communist civil servants,[9] which was aggravated by Tymiński's remarks such as his support for the martial law in Poland from 1981 to 1983.[3] The party contested the 1991 parliamentary elections, but 90% of the party's electoral lists were rejected by the electoral commission due to procedural irregularities. The party received 0.5% of the popular vote and won three seats in the Sejm. One of the party's MPs left the party while in office.[9] The party then participated in the 1993 parliamentary elections and received 2.7% of the vote, but failed to win a seat due to the newly-implemented 5% electoral threshold. After the election, the party declined and became marginalised. After failing to win enough seats to register his candidacy in the 1995 presidential elections, Tymiński stepped down as the party leader. The party was subsequently dissolved in 1999.[8] Tymiński left Poland after the dissolution of the party, but returned twice to unsuccessfully contest the 2005 presidential election and then the 2023 Senate election.[10]

  1. ^ a b Witwicki, Piotr (2008). "Wybory prezydenta Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej w Toruniu w 1990 r.". Rocznik Toruński (in Polish). 35: 95–116.
  2. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference tomas_2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b c Pienkos, Donald E. (1997). "The 1995 Polish Presidential Election: A Step Towards Normalcy". The Polish Review. 42 (4). University of Illinois Press on behalf of the Polish Institute of Arts & Sciences of America: 395–429.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference tomas_1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Vlastimil Havlik; Anete Pinkova (2012). Populist Political Parties in East-Central Europe. Masaryk University Press. p. 165. ISBN 978-8021061057.
  6. ^ Bański, Jerzy; Kowalski, Mariusz; Mazur, Marcin (2009). "Zachowania wyborcze mieszkańców polskiej wsi". Przegląd Geograficzny (in Polish). 81 (4): 489. Do lewicowej opcji politycznej można było zaliczyć również kilka mniejszych ugrupowań, w tym przede wszystkim Samoobronę i Partię X. [A number of smaller groups, most notably Self-Defence and Party X, could also be included in the left-wing political option.]
  7. ^ Kowalski, Mariusz (2000). "Geografia wyborcza Polski. Przestrzenne zróżnicowanie zachowań wyborczych Polaków w latach 1989-1998" (PDF). Geopolitical Studies (in Polish). 7. Warsaw: Polish Academy of Sciences, Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization: 17. ISSN 1429-009X. Do opcji lewicowej zaliczono: SP, RDS (Ruch Demokratyczno-Społeczny), SLD, SD, UChS (Unia Chrześcijańsko-Społeczna), WUS (Wielkopolską Unię Socjaldemokratyczną), Partię X oraz szereg drobnych ugrupowań ekologicznych i zawodowych nie związanych z „Solidarnością" (pielęgniarki, kolejarze itp.). [The left-wing option included: SP, RDS (Democratic and Social Movement), SLD, SD, UChS (Christian Social Union), WUS (Greater Poland Social Democratic Union), Party X and a number of small environmental and professional groupings not associated with Solidarity (nurses, railwaymen, etc.).]
  8. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference kietlinski was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference wprost was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference gazeta was invoked but never defined (see the help page).