LG302 Comparative European Politics Poland and Romania

Poland, Romania 1955Warsaw Pact

Poland 1955Warsaw Pact 1980Solidarity trade-union, Gdańsk Shipyard

Poland 1955Warsaw Pact 1980Solidarity trade-union, Gdańsk Shipyard 1989Round Table Talks, February-April

Poland 1955Warsaw Pact 1980Solidarity trade-union, Gdańsk Shipyard 1989Round Table Agreement 1989Party-free elections Lower chamber: 35% open to competition Senate: all seats open to competition All seats open to competition won by Solidarity

Poland 1955Warsaw Pact 1980Solidarity trade-union, Gdańsk Shipyard 1989Round Table Agreement 1989Party-free elections & first non-communist government Tadeusz Mazowiecki (Solidarity) led Poland’s first non-communist govt that took office on 12 September 1989.

Poland 1955Warsaw Pact 1980Solidarity trade-union, Gdańsk Shipyard 1989Round Table Agreement 1989Party-free elections & first non-communist government 1990Free presidential elections – Lech Wałęsa Lech Wałęsa ( )

Poland 1955Warsaw Pact 1980Solidarity trade-union, Gdańsk Shipyard 1989Round Table Agreement 1989Party-free elections & first non-communist government 1990Free presidential elections – Lech Wałęsa 1991Free parliamentary elections 29 parties represented in the parliament due to a pure PR system with no electoral thresholds Most successful party: 12% Ex-Solidarity parties: 52%

Poland 1955Warsaw Pact 1980Solidarity trade-union, Gdańsk Shipyard 1989Round Table Agreement 1989Party-free elections & first non-communist government 1990Free presidential elections – Lech Wałęsa 1991Free parliamentary elections 1992Small Constitution

Poland 1955Warsaw Pact 1980Solidarity trade-union, Gdańsk Shipyard 1989Round Table Agreement 1989Party-free elections & first non-communist government 1990Free presidential elections – Lech Wałęsa 1991Free parliamentary elections 1992Small Constitution 1997Constitution Constructive vote of no-confidence Relatively influent president – veto powers.

Romania 1955Warsaw Pact 1989Revolution Nicolae Ceauescu, Romanian Revolution, December 1989

Romania 1955Warsaw Pact 1989Revolution 1990First free presidential & parliamentary elections Communist successor party wins 2/3 of the seats in the parliament and the presidency. Ion Iliescu, president of Romania ,

Romania 1955Warsaw Pact 1989Revolution 1990First free presidential & parliamentary elections 1991Constitution Directly elected president. Government accountable to the parliament. Relatively influent president – veto powers.

Consensus joint-power & Majoritarian federal-unitary Consensual prototypes Majoritarian prototypes Majoritarian joint-power & Consensus federal-unitary Source: Kriesi & Bochsler 2012

Majoritarian and consensual democracies According to Arend Lijphart A majoritarian democracy “concentrates power in the hands of the majority” A consensual democracy “tries to arrive at as much consensus as possible by restraining majority rule and by sharing, dispersing, and limiting political power” To distinguish between them, Lijphart focused on two political dimensions and 10 institutional characteristics

Majoritarian and consensual democracies

Lijphart’s criteriaMajoritarian/ consensual Poland Majoritarian/ consensual Romania Single-party govts or coalitions? Govt dominates legislature or not? 2-party or multi-party system? FPTP or PR electoral system? Pluralist or corporatist interest groups? Centralised or decentralised state? One or two working chambers of parliament? Flexible or rigid constitution? Govt dominates judiciary or judicial review? Dependent or independent central bank?

Duration of Prime Ministers (in years, )

Polish govts ( ) Parliamentary term Prime ministersPartiesStatus Jerzy Buzek (1997–2000)AWS, UWMajority Jerzy Buzek (2000–2001)AWSMinority Leszek Miller (2001–2003)SLD, UP, PSLMajority Leszek Miller (2003–2004) No-confidence motion SLD, UPMinority Marek Belka (2004–2005)SLD, UPMinority Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz ( ) PiSMinority Jarosław Kaczyński ( ) PiS–SO–LPRMajority Donald Tusk ( )PO–PSLMajority 2011-Donald Tusk (2011-)PO–PSLMajority

Romanian govts ( ) Parl. termPrime ministersPartiesStatus Victor Ciorbea (1996–1998)CDR (PNŢCD, PNL), PD, UDMR Majority Radu Vasile ( ) Majority Mugur Isărescu ( ) Indep. Majority Adrian NăstasePSDMinority Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu (2005/07)PNL, PD, UDMRMajority Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu (2007/08)PNL, UDMRMinority Emil Boc (2008/09) No-confidence motion PD/PDL, PSDMajority Emil Boc ( )PD/PDL, UDMR, UNPR Minority Mihai Răzvan Ungureanu (2012) Indep. No-confidence motion PD/PDL, UDMR, UNPR Minority Victor Ponta (2012)PSD, PNL, PCMajority 2012-Victor Ponta (2012- )PSD, PNL, UNPR, PC Majority

Lijphart’s criteriaMajoritarian/ consensual Poland Majoritarian/ consensual Romania Single-party govts or coalitions?Consensual Govt dominates legislature or not? 2-party or multi-party system? FPTP or PR electoral system? Pluralist or corporatist interest groups? Centralised or decentralised state? One or two working chambers of parliament? Flexible or rigid constitution? Govt dominates judiciary or judicial review? Dependent or independent central bank?

Lijphart’s criteriaMajoritarian/ consensual Poland Majoritarian/ consensual Romania Single-party govts or coalitions?Consensual Govt dominates legislature or not?Consensual 2-party or multi-party system? FPTP or PR electoral system? Pluralist or corporatist interest groups? Centralised or decentralised state? One or two working chambers of parliament? Flexible or rigid constitution? Govt dominates judiciary or judicial review? Dependent or independent central bank?

Lijphart’s criteriaMajoritarian/ consensual Poland Majoritarian/ consensual Romania Single-party govts or coalitions?Consensual Govt dominates legislature or not?Consensual 2-party or multi-party system? FPTP or PR electoral system? Pluralist or corporatist interest groups? Centralised or decentralised state? One or two working chambers of parliament? Flexible or rigid constitution? Govt dominates judiciary or judicial review? Dependent or independent central bank?

Lijphart’s criteriaMajoritarian/ consensual Poland Majoritarian/ consensual Romania Single-party govts or coalitions?Consensual Govt dominates legislature or not?Consensual 2-party or multi-party system?Consensual FPTP or PR electoral system? Pluralist or corporatist interest groups? Centralised or decentralised state? One or two working chambers of parliament? Flexible or rigid constitution? Govt dominates judiciary or judicial review? Dependent or independent central bank?

Party (% of votes / seats) %VS S S S S Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) (40) Polish Peasant Party (PSL) Democratic Party (PD) (3)-- Solidarity Electoral Action (AWS) Total no. seats460

Party (% of votes / seats) %VS S S S S Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) (40) Civic Platform (PO) Self-Defence (SO) Law and Justice (PIS) Polish Peasant Party (PSL) League of Polish Families (LPR) Democratic Party (PD) (3)-- Solidarity Electoral Action (AWS) Palikot ‘s Movement (RP) Total no. seats460

Party (% of votes / seats) %VS S S S S Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) (40) Civic Platform (PO) Self-Defence (SO) Law and Justice (PIS) Polish Peasant Party (PSL) League of Polish Families (LPR) Democratic Party (PD) (3)-- Solidarity Electoral Action (AWS) Palikot ‘s Movement (RP) Total no. seats460

Party (% of votes / seats) %VS S S S S Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) (40) Civic Platform (PO) Self-Defence (SO) Law and Justice (PIS) Polish Peasant Party (PSL) League of Polish Families (LPR) Democratic Party (PD) (3)-- Solidarity Electoral Action (AWS) Palikot ‘s Movement (RP) Total no. seats460

Party (% of votes / seats) %VS S S S S Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) (40) Civic Platform (PO) Self-Defence (SO) Law and Justice (PIS) Polish Peasant Party (PSL) League of Polish Families (LPR) Democratic Party (PD) (3)-- Solidarity Electoral Action (AWS) Palikot ‘s Movement (RP) Total no. seats460

Election results in Poland, PO PiS RP PSL SLD

Party placement in two-dimensional issue space, 2011 Ex-Solidarity parties PM Pro-market & Catholic Lech Kaczyński, PR, 2005/10) Jarosław Kaczyński, PM, 2006/07 Communist successor parties Single party since 1999; in govt. 2001/05 Agrarian party Radical social-liberal party Founded 2010 by former PO MP

Party (% of votes / seats) %VS S S S S Social Democratic Party(PSD) Conservative Party (PC) National Liberal Party (PNL) Liberal Democratic Party (PD/PDL) National Peasant Party (PNTCD) Greater Romania Party Hungarian Minority Party (UDMR) People’s Party (PPDD) Total no. seats Election results Romania

Party (% of votes / seats) %VS S S S S Social Democratic Party(PSD) Conservative Party (PC) National Liberal Party (PNL) Liberal Democratic Party (PD/PDL) National Peasant Party (PNTCD) Greater Romania Party Hungarian Minority Party (UDMR) People’s Party (PPDD) Total no. seats Election results Romania

Party (% of votes / seats) %VS S S S S Social Democratic Party(PSD) Conservative Party (PC) National Liberal Party (PNL) Liberal Democratic Party (PD/PDL) National Peasant Party (PNTCD) Greater Romania Party Hungarian Minority Party (UDMR) People’s Party (PPDD) Total no. seats Election results Romania

Party (% of votes / seats) %VS S S S S Social Democratic Party(PSD) Conservative Party (PC) National Liberal Party (PNL) Liberal Democratic Party (PD/PDL) National Peasant Party (PNTCD) Greater Romania Party Hungarian Minority Party (UDMR) People’s Party (PPDD) Total no. seats Election results Romania

Party (% of votes / seats) %VS S S S S Social Democratic Party(PSD) Conservative Party (PC) National Liberal Party (PNL) Liberal Democratic Party (PD/PDL) National Peasant Party (PNTCD) Greater Romania Party Hungarian Minority Party (UDMR) People’s Party (PPDD) Total no. seats Election results Romania

Until 1992, same party with PSD 2004: political alliance with PNL (D.A.) wins both presidential & parliamentary elections Social democracy, main communist successor party. In govt 1990/96 & 2000/04. Defeated in 2004 by D.A. Alliance. Traian Basescu, President (PD), since : PD+faction PNL = PDL Ion Iliescu, President (PSD), 1990/96 & 2000/04

Lijphart’s criteriaMajoritarian/ consensual Poland Majoritarian/ consensual Romania Single-party govts or coalitions?Consensual Govt dominates legislature or not?Consensual 2-party or multi-party system?Consensual FPTP or PR electoral system? Pluralist or corporatist interest groups? Centralised or decentralised state? One or two working chambers of parliament? Flexible or rigid constitution? Govt dominates judiciary or judicial review? Dependent or independent central bank?

Sejm, 460 seats list PR with the possibility to choose between candidates 5% threshold for parties & 8% for electoral alliances Senate, 100 seats single-member plurality Poland

Romania: mixed-member proportional system (since 2008) Each voter votes for a candidate. 5% threshold  Majority element: Candidates who obtain 50% are elected.  Proportional element: Votes for unelected candidates are redistributed proportionally with the parties’ share of the vote. If the party is entitled to more seats than the number of remaining seats in the same county, the number of seats in the given county will increase creating "overhang seats".  Flexible number of seats: 2008 Parliament – 471 seats; 2012 Parliament– 588 seats

Lijphart’s criteriaMajoritarian/ consensual Poland Majoritarian/ consensual Romania Single-party govts or coalitions?Consensual Govt dominates legislature or not?Consensual 2-party or multi-party system?Consensual FPTP or PR electoral system?Consensual Pluralist or corporatist interest groups?Majoritarian Centralised or decentralised state? One or two working chambers of parliament? Flexible or rigid constitution? Govt dominates judiciary or judicial review? Dependent or independent central bank?

Lijphart’s criteriaMajoritarian/ consensual Poland Majoritarian/ consensual Romania Single-party govts or coalitions?Consensual Govt dominates legislature or not?Consensual 2-party or multi-party system?Consensual FPTP or PR electoral system?Consensual Pluralist or corporatist interest groups?Majoritarian Centralised or decentralised state?Majoritarian One or two working chambers of parliament? Flexible or rigid constitution? Govt dominates judiciary or judicial review? Dependent or independent central bank?

Lijphart’s criteriaMajoritarian/ consensual Poland Majoritarian/ consensual Romania Single-party govts or coalitions?Consensual Govt dominates legislature or not?Consensual 2-party or multi-party system?Consensual FPTP or PR electoral system?Consensual Pluralist or corporatist interest groups?Majoritarian Centralised or decentralised state?Majoritarian One or two working chambers of parliament?Consensual Flexible or rigid constitution? Govt dominates judiciary or judicial review? Dependent or independent central bank?

Lijphart’s criteriaMajoritarian/ consensual Poland Majoritarian/ consensual Romania Single-party govts or coalitions?Consensual Govt dominates legislature or not?Consensual 2-party or multi-party system?Consensual FPTP or PR electoral system?Consensual Pluralist or corporatist interest groups?Majoritarian Centralised or decentralised state?Majoritarian One or two working chambers of parliament?Consensual Flexible or rigid constitution?Consensual Govt dominates judiciary or judicial review? Dependent or independent central bank?

Lijphart’s criteriaMajoritarian/ consensual Poland Majoritarian/ consensual Romania Single-party govts or coalitions?Consensual Govt dominates legislature or not?Consensual 2-party or multi-party system?Consensual FPTP or PR electoral system?Consensual Pluralist or corporatist interest groups?Majoritarian Centralised or decentralised state?Majoritarian One or two working chambers of parliament?Consensual Flexible or rigid constitution?Consensual Govt dominates judiciary or judicial review?Consensual Dependent or independent central bank?

Lijphart’s criteriaMajoritarian/ consensual Poland Majoritarian/ consensual Romania Single-party govts or coalitions?Consensual Govt dominates legislature or not?Consensual 2-party or multi-party system?Consensual FPTP or PR electoral system?Consensual Pluralist or corporatist interest groups?Majoritarian Centralised or decentralised state?Majoritarian One or two working chambers of parliament?Consensual Flexible or rigid constitution?Consensual Govt dominates judiciary or judicial review?Consensual Dependent or independent central bank?Consensual

Consensus joint-power & Majoritarian federal-unitary Consensual prototypes Majoritarian prototypes Majoritarian joint-power & Consensus federal-unitary

Conclusion Poland and Romania are moderately consensual states Coalition governments Presidential vetoes (depending on relationship with government) Strong constitutional courts BUT Weak upper chambers and domination of larger parties.