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Abstract:
Although the 2005 Polish parliamentary and presidential elections were held on separate days the two campaigns ‘contaminated’ each other and the presidential largely overshadowed the parliamentary. For most of the campaign the dominant issue was probity in public life and parties competed on their ability to tackle corruption effectively. The conservative Law and Justice party and its presidential candidate Lech Kaczyñski emerged as unexpected winners by framing the contest as choice between ‘social-solidaristic’ and ‘liberal’ visions of Poland. The underlying ideological divisions between, and social bases of support for, Polish parties do appear to be in some flux and a re-alignment of the dimensions of party competition is one possible outcome. However, one should be cautious in assuming that this apparent ‘social versus liberal’ dichotomy will provide a long-term basis for political alignments in Poland and the old ‘post-communist’ historical-cultural divide still appears to be a significant point of orientation for a substantial number of voters.
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