Front of National Unity or National Unity Front (Polish: Front Jedności Narodu, FJN) was a popular front supervising elections in the Polish People's Republic which also acted as a coalition for the dominant communist Polish United Workers' Party (PZPR) and its allies.[1] It was founded in 1952 as National Front (Front Narodowy) and renamed to Front of National Unity in 1956.[1] It was the heir of the Democratic Bloc (Blok Demokratyczny) which ran in the elections of 1947 before the merger between communists and socialists.
National Unity Front Front Jedności Narodu | |
|---|---|
 | |
| First leader | Bolesław Bierut |
| Last leader | Henryk Jabłoński |
| Founded | 1947 (as Democratic Bloc) |
| Dissolved | 1983 |
| Succeeded by | Patriotic Movement for National Rebirth |
| Ideology |
|
| Political position | Far-left |
| Colors | Red |
The Front was created by and was subordinate to the PZPR.[2] Its membership included all three legal Polish political parties (the PZPR, Democratic Party, and United People's Party) and many organizations (such as trade unions).[2] During elections it had a near monopoly (varied depending on particular time) on registering candidates who had the right to participate in the elections.[1][2] As was the case with other popular fronts in the Soviet bloc, the member parties of the Front were largely subservient to the PZPR; they had to accept the PZPR's "leading role" as a condition of their existence.
In 1983 it was disbanded,[1] to be replaced by the Patriotic Movement for National Rebirth (Patriotyczny Ruch Odrodzenia Narodowego, PRON).
Leaders
edit- Bolesław Bierut (1947–1956)
- Aleksander Zawadzki (1956–1964)
- Edward Ochab (1965–1968)
- Janusz Groszkowski (1971–1976)
- Henryk Jabłoński (1976–1983)[1]
Electoral history
editSejm elections
edit| Election | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | Position | Government |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1947 | 9,003,682 | 80.1% | 394 / 444
|
 394
|
1st
|
Super-majority |
| 1952 | 15,459,849 | 99.8% | 425 / 425
|
31
|
 1st
|
Sole legal coalition |
| 1957 | 16,563,314 | 98.4% | 459 / 459
|
34
|
1st
|
Sole legal coalition |
| 1961 | 17,342,570 | 98.3% | 460 / 460
|
1
|
1st
|
Sole legal coalition |
| 1965 | 18,742,152 | 98.8% | 460 / 460
|
|
1st
|
Sole legal coalition |
| 1969 | 20,473,114 | 99.2% | 460 / 460
|
|
1st
|
Sole legal coalition |
| 1972 | 21,746,242 | 99.5% | 460 / 460
|
|
1st
|
Sole legal coalition |
| 1976 | 23,502,983 | 99.4% | 460 / 460
|
|
1st
|
Sole legal coalition |
| 1980 | 24,683,056 | 99.5% | 460 / 460
|
|
1st
|
Sole legal coalition |
References
edit- ^ a b c d e (in Polish) Front Jedności Narodu Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine in WIEM Encyklopedia
- ^ a b c (in Polish) Front Jedności Narodu Archived 2011-06-07 at the Wayback Machine in Encyklopedia PWN