Third Way (Polish political alliance)

Unofficial cooperation between Poland 2050 and Polish People's Party was announced by Szymon Hołownia and Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz on 7 February as "common list of things to do". Parties declared willing to cooperate in the areas of judicial system, education and local governments.[2][3][4]

After long negotiations the parties decided to run together in the parliamentary election on 27 April, and then revealed the name of the coalition on 15 May.[5] In spite of cooperating during election both parties will create two separate political groups in the next Sejm.[1]

Both leaders announced their willingness to hold talks with other political parties and organisations. Reference is made here above all to Wolnościowcy faction, Young Poland Association or conservative dissidents from Civic Platform.[6][7][8]

'Third Way' bloc is mostly dominated by conservative, christian democratic and moderate liberal politicians. Coalition's goal is to convince former Law and Justice voters to switch to the opposition by creating centrist, or even moderate conservative platform on the opposition.[9][10] Due to manifesto of 'Third Way' coalition wants to increase earnings in the budgetary sphere, reform school system, implement a climate policy based on renewable energy and simplify the tax system. The alliance calls for a referendum on the admissibility of abortionleaving its members freedom in social matters (while most of its members are more than less conservative on social issues).[11][12][13]

Ideologically Polish Coalition is focused around agrarianism, conservatism and christian democracy, mostly because influence of PSL and CdP (conservative split from Civic Platform), while UED maintain social-liberal positions as a successor of Freedom Union.[14][15][16]

Poland 2050 represents mainly centrist views with visible green influence, although both christian democratic and liberal influences are present (mainly due to the join of former Civic Coalition politicians).[17][18]

The name 'Third Way' is primarily an indication of building a moderate alternative to both national conservative United Right and liberal leaning Civic Coalition (although once that alliance had a moderate positions). Despite some overlap, it is not affiliated with a political trend with a similar name.[19][20]