Marian Krzaklewski

Who is Marian Krzaklewski?

Marian Krzaklewski is a Polish politician. A member of Solidarity since the 1980s, he was one of the most known and influential Polish politicians in the late 1990s, when he created the Solidarity Electoral Action. The AWS coalition, especially when it joined forces with Freedom Union, was a major accomplishment in Polish politics, transforming the fragmented post-Solidarity camp into a powerful political force.

Krzaklewski studied information science from Politechnika Śląska and holds a PhD degree. In 1980 he became involved with Solidarity, the famous Polish anti-communist trade union and social movement. Within the movement he was active in the Silesia region.

In 1991 he replaced Lech Wałęsa as the chairman of Solidarity. In opposition both to the government of Wałęsa and later the left-wing SLD, he was one of the founders of the center and right-wing Solidarity Electoral Action, which eventually became victorious in the Polish parliamentary election, 1997. Krzaklewski, who was elected as a deputy to the Polish parliament, was considered for the post of Prime Minister, however in the end the post went to Jerzy Buzek.