Liberal Democratic Congress

The Liberal Democratic Congress (Polish: Kongres Liberalno-Demokratyczny (KLD)) was a conservative-liberal political party in Poland.[1]

Liberal Democratic Congress
Kongres Liberalno Demokratyczny
LeaderJanusz Lewandowski (first)
Donald Tusk (last)
FoundersDonald Tusk
Janusz Lewandowski
Founded1990
Dissolved1994
Merged intoFreedom Union
IdeologyConservative liberalism
Pro-Europeanism
Political positionCentre-right
National affiliationCentre Agreement (until 1991)
European affiliationEuropean Democrat Union
Timeline of Polish liberal parties after 1989
• Citizens' Movement for Democratic Action /ROAD (1990–1991)
• Liberal Democratic Congress /KLD (1990–1994)
• Democratic Union /UD (1991–1994)
• Freedom Union /UW (1994–2005)
• Democratic Party /PD (2005– )
• Palikot's Movement /RP (2011–2013)
• Your Movement /TR (2013– )
• Modern/.N (2015– )

The party, led by Donald Tusk, had roots in the Solidarity movement. It advocated free market economy and individual liberty (however in Catholic understanding), rejected extremism and fanaticism and favoured European integration (in the form of European Union membership), rapid privatisation of the enterprises still owned by the Polish state and decentralisation of the government.

Until 1991 was a part of the Centre Agreement led by the Kaczynski brothers. In the 1991 general elections KLD got 7.5% of the votes and 37 seats in the Sejm (total 460 seats). In 1993 KLD got 4.0% of the votes and was left without seats.

It merged on March 20, 1994 with the Democratic Union (Unia Demokratyczna) into the Freedom Union (Unia Wolności, UW). Some of the former KLD members decided in January 2001 to move to join the new Civic Platform. The KLD group within Civic Platform is now seen as moderate conservative. The liberal faction within Civic Platform is small and insignificant, represented by such politicians as Bartłomiej Sienkiewicz and Adam Szejnfeld.

Election results

Sejm
Election year # of
votes		  % of
vote		 # of
overall seats won		 +/–
1991 839,978 7.5
37 / 460
 Increase 37
1993 550,578 4.0
0 / 460
 Decrease 37

Senate
Election year # of
overall seats won		 +/–
1991
6 / 100
1993
1 / 100
 Decrease 5

References
  1. Jerzy Szacki (1994). Liberalism After Communism. Central European University Press. p. 182. ISBN 978-1-85866-016-5.

See also
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