The Alliance of Democrats (, SD), also known as the Democratic Party, is a Polish centre-left party. Initially formed in 1937, the party underwent a revival in 2009, when it was joined by liberal politician Paweł Piskorski, formerly a member of the Civic Platform.
History
Formation (1937–1939)
The Alliance of Democrats has its origins in the Democratic Clubs, which were opposed to authoritarian and nationalistic tendencies in the Second Republic of Poland between the two World Wars (1919–1939). The first club was founded in Warsaw in September 1937, and by 1938 there were clubs in all major urban centres, with active participation of the co-founders of Polish independence, whose primary objective was ensuring a fully democratic political system in Poland. The group's founders came from the democratic circles of former legionaries, peasant activists, left-wing Sanationists connected to, among others, with the Union for the Repair of the Republic, as well as from the left-wing part of the Union of Work for State "Legion of the Young" and socially radical intelligentsia and youth groups. The national founding convention of the Alliance of Democrats was held on 15 April 1939. The Declaration of Policy included such issues as improvement of the national economy, a development plan to raise the level of education, and modernisation of the armed forces. Mieczysław Michałowicz, a member of the Senate, was appointed as the first party leader of the Alliance.
The Party was officially established in April 1939 at the All-Polish Founding Assembly (1st Congress) in Warsaw. The political line of the new grouping was determined by the political metrics of its leading activists and disagreement with the evolution of the "May Revolution" system limiting civil liberties. Hence, specific postulates did not at first aim at overthrow, but at a significant reform of the system towards the restitution of democratic values. Among the classic postulates were: the reform of electoral law to the Sejm and Senate, as well as a broad programme of social and economic transformations, which was characterised by a return to democratic models shaped on the basis of the actual application of the provisions of the March Constitution (inter alia, fully democratic electoral law, respect for the law and civic freedoms, radical defence of the rule of law and independence of the judiciary, criticism of nationalist and totalitarian tendencies likely to destabilise the state). The personification of the party's values and political programme thus became a citizen enjoying freedom and the achievements of the democratic system, honouring the basic communal value of labour, the creator of state power.
After 2009, new politicians joined the party, such as centrist-conservative Paweł Piskorski. The party restored their representation in parliament, by taking over of the members of the Democratic Party – demokraci.pl group consisting of three members (including Marian Filar, Bogdan Lis and Jan Widacki). After Paweł Piskorski rise to the leadership of the party many of its old members of party resigned from being members of SD. In the 2009 European Elections, the party's candidates obtained 0.027% of votes because of registration problems and lack of organisation. Since May 2009 the Alliance of Democrats has been a member of the European Democratic Party. SD supported former Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrzej Olechowski's candidature in the 2010 presidential election. In the 2011 parliamentary elections, Alliance did not register any lists but three candidates who were enlisted on the Poland Comes First election list but were supported by SD received 0.0031% of the popular vote. The Party was to announce its new political programme at its XXVI Congress.
Before the 2019 European elections, SD declared its desire to join the European Coalition, however, none of the party members were on its electoral list.
Before the 2019 parliamentary elections, SD joined the Polish Coalition. Several members were on the PSL list, but they had not won any seats in the Sejm.
thumb|right|Headquarters of the SD, in [[Warsaw]]
Ideology
thumb|Pin of the party used until 1990.
The party incorporates liberal, social democratic and left-wing elements, which also resulted in the willingness of the party to work with the trade union movement. The party promotes state interventionism and economic planning and calls for land reform in the interests of smallholder and landless peasants. The party also proposed the development of co-operatives and the "decartelisation" of the market. The party also endorsed the concept of a "third way" between capitalism and socialism. After 1989, the party described its ideology as one that includes "both elements of the social teachings of the Church and the tenets of social democracy" and that "as a party of effective people, we want to appeal to our electorate, which consists of private businessmen, craftsmen and the intelligentsia".
Chairmen of the party since 1939
- 1939–1940 Mieczysław Michałowicz
- 1940–1942 Stanisław Więckowski
- 1942–1943 Mieczysław Bilek
- 1943–1944 Jerzy Makowiecki
- 1944–1945 Erazm Kulesza
- 1945–1949 Wincenty Rzymowski
- 1949–1956 Wacław Barcikowski
- 1956–1969 Stanisław Kulczyński
- 1969–1973 Zygmunt Moskwa
- 1973–1976 Andrzej Benesz
- 1976–1981 Tadeusz Witold Młyńczak
- 1981–1985 Edward Kowalczyk (politician)
- 1985–1989 Tadeusz Witold Młyńczak
- 1989–1990 Jerzy Jóźwiak
- 1990–1991 Aleksander Mackiewicz
- 1991–1992 Zbigniew Adamczyk
- 1992–1994 Rafał Szymański
- 1994–1998 Jan Janowski
- 1998–2002 Jan Klimek
- 2002–2006 Andrzej Arendarski
- 2006–2009 Krzysztof Góralczyk
- 2009– Paweł Piskorski
Electoral history
Presidential
{| class=wikitable
|-
! rowspan=2|Election year
! rowspan=2|Candidate
! colspan=2|1st round
! colspan=2|2nd round
|-
! # of votes
! % of vote
! # of votes
! % of vote
|-
! 2025
| Supported Rafał Trzaskowski
| 6,147,797
|31.36% (#1)
| 10,237,286
|49.11% (#2)
|}
Sejm elections
{| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
!Election
!Leader
!Votes
!%
!Seats
!+/–
!Position
|-
|1947
|Wincenty Rzymowski
| colspan="2" |
|
| -
| 4th
|-
|1952
|Wacław Barcikowski
| colspan="2" rowspan="8" |
|
| 25
| 1st
|-
|1957
| rowspan="4" |Stanisław Kulczyński
|
| 14
| 3rd
|-
|1961
|
|
| 3rd
|-
|1965
|
|
| 3rd
|-
|1969
|
|
| 3rd
|-
|1972
|Zygmunt Moskwa
|
|
| 3rd
|-
|1976
|Andrzej Benesz
|
| 2
| 3rd
|-
|1980
| rowspan="2" |Tadeusz Witold Młyńczak
|
|
| 3rd
|-
|1985
| colspan="2" |
|
| 2
| 3rd
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1989
| rowspan="2" |
|3,961,124 (constituencies)
|N/A
|rowspan="2" |
|rowspan="2" | 12
|rowspan="2" | 4th
|-
|24,814,903 (in the national list)
|48.50%
|-
|1991
|Aleksander Mackiewicz
|159,017
|1.4%
|
| 26
| 14th
|}