Przyczyny zmian przywódców w partiach politycznych. Przypadek Polski
The reasons why the leaders of political parties are replaced. The Polish case

Summary/Abstract: The paper deals with the issue of the reasons for the replacement of the leaders of political parties in Poland. It takes into consideration the two main factors that have been agreed by academic circles to be decisive for the duration of a leader’s staying in his/her post. Firstly, an analysis of the formal procedures regulating the dismissal of the leaders of political parties provided by the party statutes is conducted. Secondly, the paper presents the influence election results (the number of votes won and the fact of establishing a government coalition or failing to do so) have on the leaders’ ability to keep their post. The analysis encompasses the political parties that won a mandate in the 2011 parliamentary elections, that is Law and Justice (PiS), Civic Platform (PO), Polish People’s Party (PSL), Palikot’s Movement (RP) and the Democratic Left Alliance (LSD). The paper discusses the topic of the replacement of the leaders since the beginnings of these parties. The analysis reveals a strong influence of election results and statutory provisions on the duration of respective leaders’ terms. The fact of entering into a government coalition, or failing to do so, does not have a significant influence on the leaders’ maintaining their position.

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