Waldemar Pawlak

On 5 June 1992, 00:00 AM, after a vote of no confidence was approved, with 273 in favour and 119 against, Jan Olszewski was forced to resign as Prime Minister and his cabinet was immediately replaced in an event known as the nightshift ("Nocna zmiana"). After Olszewski's dismissal, President Lech Wałęsa designated the little-known and inexperienced Pawlak as caretaker Prime Minister with the mission, to form a new coalition government with agrarians, Christian democrats and liberals. Pawlak's potential partners, the Democratic Union and the Confederation of Independent Poland were not ready to agree on a compromise programme. The fact was that Pawlak and nobody else was called upon to form a new government that was nevertheless a remarkable phenomenon. According to Aleksander Kwaśniewski, it was a 'historical step' towards a 'normalization' of Polish political and party life.

After 33 days as a caretaker, Pawlak failed to gain support from the Sejm majority and failed in a vote of confidence. Pawlak was forced to resign as Prime Minister and the President replaced him with Hanna Suchocka, who won support from the majority and successfully formed a coalition with the Democratic Union, Christian National Union, Liberal Democratic Congress, Peasants' Agreement, People's Christian Party, Party of Christian Democrats and Polish Beer-Lovers' Party. Pawlak's failure paved the way for another political coalition.

Since Pawlak's first cabinet did not receive support from the Sejm, at this time, Pawlak had no official ministers, only temporary chiefs of executive branches. His first cabinet was the briefest government during this period that lasted only 33 days, this was a notable period commonly known as Pawlak's 33 days (33 dni Pawlaka). Although Pawlak failed to form a government, he gained considerable respect from his 33 days in office. Pawlak was a counterweight to politicians who focused on the issue of lustration, and the backstage of these events was later described by Kult in the song "Mr. Waldek, Don't Be Afraid, or the Lefty June" ("Panie Waldku, Pan się nie boi, czyli Lewy czerwcowy"), which referred to the fall of Jan Olszewski's cabinet.

The Polish People's Party and the social democratic, post-communist Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) won the 1993 election in a landslide, holding a super-majority and the support of the socialist-agrarian government, with Pawlak as Prime Minister again.

Józef Oleksy of the SLD became Sejm Marshal, while SLD leader Aleksander Kwaśniewski remained a Sejm Member without portfolio.

Prime Minister Pawlak and Kwaśniewski soon found themselves at bitter political odds. Kwaśniewski reportedly had an ambition to become "Prime Minister de facto", while Pawlak wanted to retain the power of his office. Both leaders used their parties to fight for power.[3]

Pawlak was initially in an informal alliance with President Wałęsa against the SLD. However, their good political relations soon dissipated.[3]

In 1995, Pawlak offered three options to Kwaśniewski. First, he would remain Prime Minister but with Kwaśniewski as Deputy and Minister of Foreign Affairs. Second, the Democratic Left Alliance would form a government with Kwaśniewski as Prime Minister. Third, Oleksy would become Prime Minister under the present coalition. Pawlak reportedly thought that Kwaśniewski would not risk a minority Democratic Left Alliance government without the support of the majority of the elevation of his main partisan opponent, Oleksy, to Prime Minister and therefore rather be the deputy of Pawlak. However, Kwaśniewski surprised many by choosing the third option.[3]

Pawlak was known for his reticence and aversion to journalists. The opposition and the media accused him of a lack of dynamism and a terrible information policy. Pawlak gave up the prime ministerial Volvo 780 limousine in favour of a FSO Polonez Caro, equipped with a Rover V8 engine to show solidarity with the automotive industry in Poland. This gesture was well-received by Poles at a time when the country was suffering poverty.