Życie po życiu
Life after life

The political activity of former leaders of Polish political parties

Summary/Abstract: The article contains a classifi cation of the activities performed by former political party leaders. The author analyses the careers of 18 former leaders of Polish political parties which have introduced their representatives to the parliament at least three times in a row since 1991. According to the classifi cation, the activity of former leaders may entail (1) permanent political marginalisation; (2) marginalisation and then restoration of position; (3) active participation in national politics on behalf of the former party; (4) association with a political party other than the one previously headed; (5) participation in the international arena. Contrary to what one might expect, the reasons for the resignation of former leaders did not determine their further careers. After they ceased to head the party, the leaders’ activities were determined by their personal choices and a situational context, including the way they were perceived by political actors, such as politicians, party members and the groups they had led in particular. The majority of party leaders tried to continue their careers in politics, either at the national or (rarely) international level. Only two former party leaders did not get involved directly in politics by joining any of the political parties. The analysed political parties differed in their approach to the sustained infl uence of former leaders. In the Polish People’s Party (PSL), with one exception, the leaders were either deprived of infl uence or decided to limit their political activity. In the Democratic Left Alliance (SLD), former leaders were able to hope for intraparty positions, sometimes even those more exposed, such as the leadership of the party’s parliamentary club. In this party, the infl uence of new leaders on the continued activity of former leaders was also clear.

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