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The League of Polish Families ('''Liga Polskich Rodzin''', or '''LPR''') is a conservative opposition party within the Polish Parliament. HISTORY The LPR was created just before the Elections In 2001 and gained 8% of the vote, giving it 38 out of 460 seats. Their leader is Roman Giertych . Giertych graduated from Adam Mickiewicz University In Poznań , studying Law and History. During his career his political alliances have included such Polish National Democrats as Jan Łopuszański , Antoni Macierewicz , Gabriel Janowski and others. Roman Giertych's father, Maciej Giertych , is also a parliament deputy in the LPR, and his grandfather was a deputy to the parliament of the Second Polish Republic prior to World War II as member of the National Democracy , a political party opposed to Jozef Pilsudski that sought initially to ally Poles with Imperial Russia against Germany in the coming European War . Some of the press believe that the LPR is affiliated with Father Tadeusz Rydzyk , director of the Catholic radio station Radio Maryja , hugely popular among the older generation, yet sometimes criticized by the Church authorities in Poland. However, it has never been proved that the party is in any way funded by him. Soon after the election in 2001 a group of deputies separated from LPR, creating a new party known now as Porozumienie Polskie ( Polish Circle ) led by Jan Łopuszański and Ruch Katolick-Narodowy ( Catholic-National Movement ) led by Antoni Macierewicz . In the 2004 Elections To The European Parliament LPR received 16% votes, which gave it 15 out of 54 seats reserved for Poland in European Parliament . This made the LPR the second largest party in Poland in that election, second only to the Conservative-liberal Platforma Obywatelska , and well ahead of the then ruling post- Communist Sojusz Lewicy Demokratycznej , the populist Samoobrona and the center- Conservative Prawo I Sprawiedliwość . However, two notable features of that election were the low overall turnout (less than 20% of eligible voters) and the high average-age of LPR voters. Thus, the long-term significance of the LPR's strong performance in that election is unclear. In the 2005 Elections LPR again received 8% of votes, but saw its seats reduced from 38 to 34. POLITICAL AGENDA The political agenda is Christian Left . However, recently the party has begun to emphasize Populism , Patriotism and conservative social values. The party combines Social Conservatism with Isolationism and Left-wing Economic policies, based upon its own interpretation of Catholic Social Teaching . The LPR opposes: the selling of land to foreign nationals, Capital Punishment , abolishing The Draft , legalizing "soft drugs", Abortion , Euthanasia , and Homosexualism . It supports maintaining Publicly-funded Medicine and Public Education , and supports the withdrawal of Polish troops from Iraq . The LPR also supports the publication of the complete archives of the Polish Communist Secret Police . The party particularly appeals to voters sympathetic towards traditional social values, the Catholic faith, and the concept of Polish national sovereignty. Its populism also attracts some who feel lost in the post-1989 political transformation of the country, although it should be noted that the post-communist PSL and Andrzej Lepper's Samoobronna ("Self Defense") appeal more directly to so-called marginalized voters. Roman Giertych reactivated the " All-Polish Youth " (''Młodzież Wszechpolska'') organization in 1989 , becoming its chairman; he remains honorary chairman. For several years he was a member of the National-Democratic Party ( Stronnictwo Narodowo-Demokratyczne ) and the National Party ( Stronnictwo Narodowe ), which merged with several other organizations to form the League Of Polish Families (''Liga Polskich Rodzin'', LPR) in 2001 . Stance towards the European Union The party is Anti-EU . Although it was the only significant political force in Poland that unconditionally opposed Polish membership in the European Union (believing that a union formed by Social Liberals could never be reformed), after Polish accession to the EU the party participated in European Parliament elections, in order to have actual influence over decisions made regarding Poland. During the 2004 controversy surrounding Rocco Buttiglione (the conservative Italian nominee as European Commission er for "Justice, Freedom, and Security"), the LPR deputies demanded the dissolution of the parliament, feeling that it was too much under the influence of a homosexual lobby. EUROSCEPTIC CAUCUS: INDEPENDENCE AND DEMOCRACY In 2004, 31 MEP s from the UK , Poland , Denmark and Sweden formed the new '' Independence And Democracy '', formerly the group for Europe Of Democracies And Diversities . The main goals of this group are the rejection of any European Constitution and opposition to any plans for a federal Europe. Leaders include Nigel Farage of the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP, 10 MEPs) , Jens-Peter Bonde from Denmark, and Maciej Giertych from the League of Polish Families (10 MEPs). Stance on Homosexuality The LPR is strongly against homosexuality, in both its rhetoric and policy objectives. Its youth organization, the All-Polish Youth , has on numerous occasions counter-protested against demonstrations organized by members of homosexual advocacy groups. As mayor of Warsaw , PiS (The ruling Polish Political Party ) leader Lech Kaczyński refused authorisation for the Equality Parade for Gay Rights on June 11 , 2005 in Warsaw. The Parade took place despite the ban, and eggs, stones and bottles were thrown at the marchers by young people (nearly all men) from the All-Polish Youth ( Młodzież Wszechpolska ) youth organisation (a Youth Group associated with the League of Polish Families), with at least two people injured and hospitalized. The organization claims its members merely tried to prevent an illegal march, and that the violence should be blamed on soccer hooligans unaffiliated with the LPR. MEMBERS OF POLISH PARLIAMENT ( SEJM ) (2001-2005) MP, constituency
LEAGUE OF POLISH FAMILIES - ELECTORAL COMMITTEE Except for LPR party members, the electoral committee consisted of several political parties and groups that formed separate parliamentary caucuses in Polish parliament: MEMBERS OF POLISH SENATE (2001-2005)
MEMBERS OF EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
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''See also'': Politics Of Poland , List Of Political Parties In Poland |