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Poland Comes First ( pl, Polska jest Najważniejsza), also rendered as Poland is the Most Important, shortened to Poland First, and abbreviated to PJN, was a
centre-right Centre-right politics lean to the Right-wing politics, right of the Left–right politics, political spectrum, but are closer to the Centrism, centre. From the 1780s to the 1880s, there was a shift in the Western world of social class structure a ...
,
conservative liberal Conservative liberalism or right-liberalism is a variant of liberalism, combining liberal values and policies with Conservatism, conservative stances, or simply representing the right-wing of the liberal movement.Michael Gallagher (academic), M ...
, political party in
Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...
. It was formed as a more moderate breakaway group from
Law and Justice Law and Justice ( pl, Prawo i Sprawiedliwość , PiS) is a right-wing populist and national-conservative political party in Poland. Its chairman is Jarosław Kaczyński. It was founded in 2001 by Jarosław and Lech Kaczyński as a direct su ...
(PiS). By early 2011, the party had eighteen members of the
Sejm The Sejm (English: , Polish: ), officially known as the Sejm of the Republic of Poland (Polish: ''Sejm Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej''), is the lower house of the bicameral parliament of Poland. The Sejm has been the highest governing body of t ...
, one member of the
Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
, and three members of the
European Parliament The European Parliament (EP) is one of the legislative bodies of the European Union and one of its seven institutions. Together with the Council of the European Union (known as the Council and informally as the Council of Ministers), it adopts ...
. Poland Comes First ceased to exist as a political party in December 2013, when it joined the new centre-right party led by
Jarosław Gowin Jarosław Adam Gowin (born 4 December 1961) is a Polish conservative politician and editor. Gowin served as Minister of Justice in the cabinet of Prime Minister Donald Tusk between 2011 and 2013, and as Minister of Science and Higher Education ...
named
Poland Together Poland Together ( pl, Polska Razem, PR or PRZP), formally Poland Together United Right (''Polska Razem Zjednoczona Prawica''), was a conservative-liberal political party in Poland. The party was founded on 7 December 2013 by former Minister of ...
. Spurred by the expulsion of
Joanna Kluzik-Rostkowska Joanna Grażyna Kluzik-Rostkowska (born 14 December 1963) is a Polish people, Polish politician and member of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland, Sejm for Civic Platform. She was elected for Law and Justice 2007 Polish parliamentary election, in 2 ...
from the party, the party was founded as a moderate, "
liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...
" splinter from Law and Justice, whom PJN claimed had drifted to the right under party leader
Jarosław Kaczyński Jarosław Aleksander Kaczyński (; born 18 June 1949) is a Polish politician who is currently serving as leader of the Law and Justice party (known by its Polish acronym PiS), which he co-founded in 2001 with his twin brother, Lech Kaczyński, ...
. More pro-
free market In economics, a free market is an economic system in which the prices of goods and services are determined by supply and demand expressed by sellers and buyers. Such markets, as modeled, operate without the intervention of government or any o ...
than PiS, Poland Comes First has criticised the slow pace of economic reforms by the
Civic Platform Civic Platform ( pl, Platforma Obywatelska, PO)The party is officially the Civic Platform of the Republic of Poland (''Platforma Obywatelska Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej''). is a political party in Poland. It is currently led by Donald Tusk. It w ...
(PO) government. In 2011, the party received defectors from PO, giving it representation in the
Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
. However, the party failed to win any Sejm or Senate seats in the October 2011 Parliamentary election. In the European Parliament, its members continued to sit, along with Law and Justice, in the
European Conservatives and Reformists The European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) is a soft Eurosceptic, anti- federalist political group of the European Parliament. The ECR is the parliamentary group of the European Conservatives and Reformists Party (ECR Party) European pol ...
group A group is a number of persons or things that are located, gathered, or classed together. Groups of people * Cultural group, a group whose members share the same cultural identity * Ethnic group, a group whose members share the same ethnic ide ...
, of which PJN founder
Michał Kamiński Michał Tomasz Kamiński (born 28 March 1972) is a Polish politician and a member of the Senate with the Union of European Democrats. He was chairman of the European Conservatives and Reformists in the European Parliament from July 2009 until Ma ...
was the chairman until March 2011. The party was affiliated with the Alliance of European Conservatives and Reformists, of which Adam Bielan, who was one of the co-founders of the PJN but then left the party, is a Vice-President.


History

On 16 November 2010, Polish MPs
Joanna Kluzik-Rostkowska Joanna Grażyna Kluzik-Rostkowska (born 14 December 1963) is a Polish people, Polish politician and member of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland, Sejm for Civic Platform. She was elected for Law and Justice 2007 Polish parliamentary election, in 2 ...
,
Elżbieta Jakubiak Elżbieta Renata Jakubiak (born 17 March 1966) is a Polish politician, sports and tourism minister in the government of Jaroslaw Kaczynski, was head of the Polish President's Cabinet with the rank of secretary of state, and deputy to the Sejm si ...
and Paweł Poncyljusz,
MEPs A Member of the European Parliament (MEP) is a person who has been elected to serve as a popular representative in the European Parliament. When the European Parliament (then known as the Common Assembly of the ECSC) first met in 1952, its ...
Adam Bielan and
Michał Kamiński Michał Tomasz Kamiński (born 28 March 1972) is a Polish politician and a member of the Senate with the Union of European Democrats. He was chairman of the European Conservatives and Reformists in the European Parliament from July 2009 until Ma ...
, and others formed the new group. Several of them had been expelled from the
Law and Justice Law and Justice ( pl, Prawo i Sprawiedliwość , PiS) is a right-wing populist and national-conservative political party in Poland. Its chairman is Jarosław Kaczyński. It was founded in 2001 by Jarosław and Lech Kaczyński as a direct su ...
(PiS) party shortly before. Kamiński said that the Law and Justice party had been taken over by far-right extremists. The breakaway party formed following dissatisfaction with the direction and leadership of
Jarosław Kaczyński Jarosław Aleksander Kaczyński (; born 18 June 1949) is a Polish politician who is currently serving as leader of the Law and Justice party (known by its Polish acronym PiS), which he co-founded in 2001 with his twin brother, Lech Kaczyński, ...
. The party's name comes from the official campaign slogans of Jarosław Kaczyński in the 2010 presidential election. Literally, it means 'Poland is the Most Important', which was the original English version, but the Sejm requested that this be rendered as 'Poland Comes First' in English, after Adam Bielan said that the original 'sounded strange'. The party was considering changing its name, after 'Polska jest Najważniejsza' was registered as the name of an association by a PiS supporter. The inclusion of the word 'Centre' was seen to be likely, referring to the
Centre Agreement Porozumienie Centrum (PC; en, Centre Agreement) was a Polish Christian democratic political party. The party rose in 1990. Its chairman was Jarosław Kaczyński. In its programme, the PC opposed socialism and was anti-communist. In 1997 PC join ...
that the Kaczyńskis led before founding Law and Justice as well as reflecting its more centrist position. On 18 January 2011,
senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
Jacek Swakoń Jacek is a Polish given name of Greek origin related Hyacinth, through the archaic form of ''Jacenty''. Its closely related equivalents are: Jacinto (Spanish and Portuguese), Giacinto (Italian), Jácint ( Hungarian) and Jacint ( Catalan, shortened ...
, formerly of
Civic Platform Civic Platform ( pl, Platforma Obywatelska, PO)The party is officially the Civic Platform of the Republic of Poland (''Platforma Obywatelska Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej''). is a political party in Poland. It is currently led by Donald Tusk. It w ...
, joined PJN as its first senator and its first parliamentary defector other than from PiS. On 27 January 2011, the PJN's
Michał Kamiński Michał Tomasz Kamiński (born 28 March 1972) is a Polish politician and a member of the Senate with the Union of European Democrats. He was chairman of the European Conservatives and Reformists in the European Parliament from July 2009 until Ma ...
announced he would be stepping down as chairman of the ECR group, effective 8 March, citing conflict with the remaining PiS members. On 1 February, Zbigniew Wojciechowski, a recent defector from Civic Platform, replaced
Janusz Palikot Janusz Marian Palikot (; born 26 October 1964) is a Polish politician, activist and businessman. Palikot studied philosophy and became wealthy as a businessman who dealt with crates and distilled beverages (dealt with international trade with ta ...
in the Sejm, taking the party's numbers to 18. Joanna Kluzik-Rostkowska stated in February 2011 that she was thinking of offering Civic Platform a
coalition A coalition is a group formed when two or more people or groups temporarily work together to achieve a common goal. The term is most frequently used to denote a formation of power in political or economical spaces. Formation According to ''A Gui ...
deal after the election due in October. However, before the election, Kluzik-Rostkowska left the party for Civic Platform. Co-founder Adam Bielan MEP also left the PJN to sit as an independent, eventually joining
Jarosław Gowin Jarosław Adam Gowin (born 4 December 1961) is a Polish conservative politician and editor. Gowin served as Minister of Justice in the cabinet of Prime Minister Donald Tusk between 2011 and 2013, and as Minister of Science and Higher Education ...
's new
Poland Together Poland Together ( pl, Polska Razem, PR or PRZP), formally Poland Together United Right (''Polska Razem Zjednoczona Prawica''), was a conservative-liberal political party in Poland. The party was founded on 7 December 2013 by former Minister of ...
party, whilst remaining within the ECR Group in the EU Parliament alongside the PiS MEPs. At the October 2011 election, the party performed poorly, coming sixth in the Sejm vote with 2.2%. This being below the 5% threshold, the party failed to hold or win any seats in the Sejm. The party also failed to hold or win any seats in the Senate.


Ideology

The party was formed from PiS's
liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...
faction. Kluzik has said the party is inspired by the
centrism Centrism is a political outlook or position involving acceptance or support of a balance of social equality and a degree of social hierarchy while opposing political changes that would result in a significant shift of society strongly to the l ...
of
David Cameron David William Donald Cameron (born 9 October 1966) is a British former politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2010 to 2016 and Leader of the Conservative Party from 2005 to 2016. He previously served as Leader o ...
, leader of the
British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...
Conservatives Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization in ...
. The core of the party is based around the 'Museumite' faction, connected to the
Warsaw Uprising Museum The Warsaw Rising Museum ( pl, Muzeum Powstania Warszawskiego), in the Wola district of Warsaw, Poland, is dedicated to the Warsaw Uprising of 1944. The institution of the museum was established in 1983, but no construction work took place for m ...
, of which the PJN's Jan Ołdakowski is the director. The party has criticised the slow pace of
economic liberalisation Economic liberalization (or economic liberalisation) is the lessening of government regulations and restrictions in an economy in exchange for greater participation by private entities. In politics, the doctrine is associated with classical liber ...
by the Civic Platform government, challenging both
Donald Tusk Donald Franciszek Tusk ( , ; born 22 April 1957) is a Polish politician who was President of the European Council from 2014 to 2019. He served as the 14th Prime Minister of Poland from 2007 to 2014 and was a co-founder and leader of the Civic Pla ...
's frequent distractions from economic issues and Law and Justice's
dirigisme Dirigisme or dirigism () is an economic doctrine in which the state plays a strong directive (policies) role contrary to a merely regulatory interventionist role over a market economy. As an economic doctrine, dirigisme is the opposite of ''lai ...
. The party aims to reform the labour market, accelerate
privatisation Privatization (also privatisation in British English) can mean several different things, most commonly referring to moving something from the public sector into the private sector. It is also sometimes used as a synonym for deregulation when ...
, introduce a 19%
flat tax A flat tax (short for flat-rate tax) is a tax with a single rate on the taxable amount, after accounting for any deductions or exemptions from the tax base. It is not necessarily a fully proportional tax. Implementations are often progressiv ...
, and equalise the
retirement age This article lists the statutory retirement age in different countries. Background In some contexts, the retirement age is the age at which a person is expected or required to cease work. It is usually the age at which such a person may be enti ...
between men and women. PJN seeed to increase public participation within politics, public scrutiny of government, transparency in governance, and encourage local self-government. It strongly advocated diversification of Poland's energy, especially in regards to domestic production of shale-locked natural gas. PJN was also a firm supporter of Ukrainian integration into the European Union.


Former elected representatives


Members of the Sejm

Before the October 2011 elections, the party had eighteen members of the Sejm. * Lena Dąbkowska-Cichocka ( 21 – Opole) * Tomasz Dudziński ( 7 – Chełm) * Adam Gawęda ( 30 – Rybnik) * Kazimierz Hajda ( 12 – Chrzanów) *
Elżbieta Jakubiak Elżbieta Renata Jakubiak (born 17 March 1966) is a Polish politician, sports and tourism minister in the government of Jaroslaw Kaczynski, was head of the Polish President's Cabinet with the rank of secretary of state, and deputy to the Sejm si ...
( 18 – Siedlce) *
Lucjan Karasiewicz Lucjan Karasiewicz (born 10 July 1979 in Tarnowskie Góry) is a Polish politician. He was elected to the Sejm on 25 September 2005, getting 6844 votes in 28 Częstochowa, standing for Law and Justice. He joined Poland Comes First Poland Comes F ...
( 28 – Częstochowa) * Wiesław Kilian ( 3 – Wrocław) * Wojciech Mojzesowicz ( 4 – Bydgoszcz) * Jan Ołdakowski ( 19 – Warsaw I) * Zbysław Owczarski ( 13 – Kraków) * Jacek Pilch ( 15 – Tarnów) * Paweł Poncyljusz ( 19 – Warsaw I) *
Andrzej Sośnierz Andrzej Stanisław Sośnierz (born 8 May 1951) is a Polish politician and physician and a current member of the Sejm. Political career He was elected to Sejm on 25 September 2005, getting 54,876 votes in Katowice, standing for Civic Platform. He ...
( 31 – Katowice) * Andrzej Walkowiak ( 4 – Bydgoszcz) * Zbigniew Wojciechowski ( 6 – Lublin)


Members of the Senate

Before the October 2011 elections, the party had one member of the
Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
. *
Jacek Swakoń Jacek is a Polish given name of Greek origin related Hyacinth, through the archaic form of ''Jacenty''. Its closely related equivalents are: Jacinto (Spanish and Portuguese), Giacinto (Italian), Jácint ( Hungarian) and Jacint ( Catalan, shortened ...
( 1 – Legnica)


Members of the European Parliament

From October 2011 until 2013, the party had three members of the
European Parliament The European Parliament (EP) is one of the legislative bodies of the European Union and one of its seven institutions. Together with the Council of the European Union (known as the Council and informally as the Council of Ministers), it adopts ...
. They continued to sit with Law and Justice in the
European Conservatives and Reformists The European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) is a soft Eurosceptic, anti- federalist political group of the European Parliament. The ECR is the parliamentary group of the European Conservatives and Reformists Party (ECR Party) European pol ...
group, of which
Michał Kamiński Michał Tomasz Kamiński (born 28 March 1972) is a Polish politician and a member of the Senate with the Union of European Democrats. He was chairman of the European Conservatives and Reformists in the European Parliament from July 2009 until Ma ...
was a former Chairman. *
Michał Kamiński Michał Tomasz Kamiński (born 28 March 1972) is a Polish politician and a member of the Senate with the Union of European Democrats. He was chairman of the European Conservatives and Reformists in the European Parliament from July 2009 until Ma ...
( 4 – Warsaw) *
Paweł Kowal Paweł Robert Kowal (born 22 July 1975 in Rzeszów) is a Polish politician and former Member of the European Parliament. During his time in the EP, he served as the Chairman of the EU-Ukraine Parliamentary Cooperation Committee in the European P ...
( 10 – Lesser Poland and Świętokrzyskie) * Marek Migalski ( 11 – Silesian)


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Poland Comes First 2010 establishments in Poland 2013 disestablishments in Poland Christian democratic parties in Europe Catholic political parties Conservative liberal parties Conservative parties in Poland Defunct political parties in Poland Eurosceptic parties in Poland Law and Justice Political parties disestablished in 2013 Political parties established in 2010