Polish Beer-Lovers' Party
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Polish Beer-Lovers' Party Polska Partia Przyjaciół Piwa | |
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| Abbreviation | PPPP |
| Registered | 28 December 1990 |
| Dissolved | 28 May 1993 |
| Headquarters | Warsaw |
| Membership (1991) | 10,000 |
| Ideology | Initially: Political satire Beer drinking advocacy Anti-communism Later: Reformism Green politics |
| Political position | Big tent |
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The Polish Beer-Lovers' Party (PPPP; Polish: Polska Partia Przyjaciół Piwa, lit. 'Polish Party of Friends of Beer') was a satirical Polish political party that was founded in 1990. Originally, the party's goal was to promote cultural beer-drinking in English-style pubs instead of vodka and thus fight alcoholism,[1] but it eventually developed a serious platform based around tax reform and green politics.[2]
History[edit]
Formation[edit]
The party was founded by the cast and crew of a late 80's Polish comedy series called "The Beer Scouts" (Polish: Skauci Piwni) as "a continuation of [the] TV program." Janusz Rewiński [pl], an actor on the show, was elected leader of the party in April 1991.[3] Andrzej Kołodziejski and Adam Halber, two editors for the now defunct magazine Pan, were responsible for most of the party's early promotion.[3][4]
Rise and 1991 election[edit]
The humorous name and disillusionment with Poland's political transformation led some Poles to vote for and/or join the party,[5] with it having 10,000 registered members by July 1991.[2] The nature of the party's appeal to its supporters was reflected in frequently-heard remarks that, maybe with the PPPP at the helm, "it wouldn't be better but for sure it would be funnier."[4]
Although it started as a joke party, its members developed a serious platform with time, such as stopping the domestic sale of leaded gasoline.[2] Moreover, the idea of political discussion in establishments that served quality beer became a symbol of freedom of association and expression, intellectual tolerance, and a higher standard of living.[citation needed]
In the 1991 parliamentary elections the PPPP won 16 seats in the Sejm, capturing 3.27% of the vote.[6]
Disbanding and successor groups[edit]
Soon after the election, the party split into Big Beer and Little Beer factions,[5][7] despite Rewiński's claims that "beer is neither light nor dark, it is tasty."[citation needed] Leszek Bubel [pl], future president of the Polish National Party, became leader of the PPPP in 1992 after Rewiński was accused of "cryptic financial operations." The PPPP dissolved in 1993 after it suffered a major defeat in that year's parliamentary election,[3] receiving only 0.1% of the vote.[6]
The Big Beer faction assumed the name Polish Economic Program (PPG; Polish: Polski Program Gospodarczy).[1][5][7] Dropping its satirical element, the Polish Economic Program became associated with the Democratic Union (UD). The Little Beer faction became associated with the Liberal Democratic Congress in a coalition of liberal pro-market parties, which supported the candidacy of Hanna Suchocka as prime minister.[5]
In 2007, there was an unsuccessful attempt to revive the party by activists associated with Bubel.[8]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ a b Feusette, Krzysztof (25 Jan 2003). "Rozmowy - Janusz Rewiński - Lepiej nie będzie, ale weselej" [Conversations - Janusz Rewiński - It won't be better, but it will be happier]. teatry.art.pl (in Polish). Archived from the original on 6 Oct 2007. Retrieved 6 Oct 2007.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ a b c Cieszkowska, Joanna (7 Jul 1991). "The blossoming of democracy in Poland has produced a..." United Press International. Retrieved 9 Mar 2024.
- ^ a b c Henzler, Marek (9 Nov 2011). "Palikot? A pamiętacie Partię Przyjaciół Piwa?" [Palikot? Do you remember the Beer Friends Party?]. Polityka (in Polish). Retrieved 12 Mar 2024.
- ^ a b Rissanen, Mika. "Scouting for the parliament". Down Beer Street. Souvenir Press. Retrieved 2018-03-19.
- ^ a b c d "Poland - Beer-Lovers' Party". Library of Congress Country Studies. Archived from the original on 8 Nov 2023. Retrieved 2024-03-09.
- ^ a b Nohlen, Dieter; Stöver, Philip (2010). Elections in Europe: A Data Handbook (illustrated ed.). Nomos Publishing House. p. 1491. ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7.
- ^ a b Barber, Tony (16 Jul 1992). "Big Beer's spirited alcohol tax reform falls flat". The Independent. Archived from the original on 9 Mar 2024. Retrieved 9 Mar 2024.
- ^ Wróblewski, Artur (31 October 2014). "Polska Partia Przyjaciół Piwa: polityczne kuriozum w potrójnie filtrowanej postaci" [Polish Party of Beer Friends: a political curiosity in a triple-filtered form]. Interia Historia (in Polish). Archived from the original on 29 November 2021. Retrieved 14 March 2014.
