Grzegorz Napieralski
Encyclopedia
Grzegorz Bernard Napieralski ' onMouseout='HidePop("9658")' href="/topics/Szczecin">Szczecin
) is a Polish left-wing politician and the current chairman of the Democratic Left Alliance
(SLD) and the party's candidate in the 2010 presidential election.
, obtaining his master's degree in 2000. From 1995 to 1999 he was the secretary of Szczecin division of Social Democracy of the Republic of Poland
, which later became the Democratic Left Alliance. In 2002 he became the aide to the Voivode in West Pomeranian Voivodeship
. In 2004, he was elected to Sejm
, taking place of Bogusław Liberadzki, who became a member of the European Parliament
. Napieralski was subsequently elected again in 2005 and 2007.
In 2004 Napieralski become the vice-chairman of the SLD and a year later its secretary general. On May 31, 2008 he was chosen the new chairman of the Democratic Left Alliance, defeating Wojciech Olejniczak
. Since 2009 he is also the chairman of the Lewica parliamentary fraction.
On April 22, 2010 the Democratic Left Alliance chose Napieralski to replace Jerzy Szmajdziński
, who had died in a plane crash
, as its candidate in the upcoming presidential election. Napieralski finished third, receiving 13.68% of the votes, and did not advance to the second round of the election.
as quickly as possible. He also supports more progressive tax
ation. He is in favor of liberalizing the abortion law
in Poland and of government reimbursement of in vitro fertilization and contraception. He supports same sex civil unions, although he opposes adoption of children by such pairs. He is a supporter of separation of church and state
and criticizes the Catholic Church's privileged position in Poland.
Szczecin
Szczecin , is the capital city of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship in Poland. It is the country's seventh-largest city and the largest seaport in Poland on the Baltic Sea. As of June 2009 the population was 406,427....
) is a Polish left-wing politician and the current chairman of the Democratic Left Alliance
Democratic Left Alliance
Democratic Left Alliance is a social-democratic political party in Poland. Formed in 1991 as a coalition of centre-left parties, it was formally established as a single party on 15 April 1999. It is currently the third largest opposition party in Poland....
(SLD) and the party's candidate in the 2010 presidential election.
Education and political career
After graduating from mechanics school in Szczecin, Napieralski studied Political Science at the University of SzczecinUniversity of Szczecin
The University of Szczecin is a public university in Szczecin, western Poland. It is the biggest university in West Pomerania, with 33,267 students and a staff of nearly 1,200...
, obtaining his master's degree in 2000. From 1995 to 1999 he was the secretary of Szczecin division of Social Democracy of the Republic of Poland
Social Democracy of the Republic of Poland
Social Democracy of the Republic of Poland was a social-democratic political party in Poland created in 1990, shortly after the Revolutions of 1989. The party was one of two successor parties to the Polish United Workers Party, the other being the Social Democratic Union. SdRP was the leading...
, which later became the Democratic Left Alliance. In 2002 he became the aide to the Voivode in West Pomeranian Voivodeship
West Pomeranian Voivodeship
West Pomeranian Voivodeship, , is a voivodeship in northwestern Poland. It borders on Pomeranian Voivodeship to the east, Greater Poland Voivodeship to the southeast, Lubusz Voivodeship to the south, the German federal-state of Mecklenburg-West Pomerania to the west, and the Baltic Sea to the north...
. In 2004, he was elected to Sejm
Sejm
The Sejm is the lower house of the Polish parliament. The Sejm is made up of 460 deputies, or Poseł in Polish . It is elected by universal ballot and is presided over by a speaker called the Marshal of the Sejm ....
, taking place of Bogusław Liberadzki, who became a member of the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
. Napieralski was subsequently elected again in 2005 and 2007.
In 2004 Napieralski become the vice-chairman of the SLD and a year later its secretary general. On May 31, 2008 he was chosen the new chairman of the Democratic Left Alliance, defeating Wojciech Olejniczak
Wojciech Olejniczak
Wojciech Michał Olejniczak is a Polish leftist politician and member of the European Parliament.He was the chairman of the Democratic Left Alliance from May 29, 2005, to May 31, 2008 and the vice-speaker of Sejm since October 26, 2005...
. Since 2009 he is also the chairman of the Lewica parliamentary fraction.
On April 22, 2010 the Democratic Left Alliance chose Napieralski to replace Jerzy Szmajdziński
Jerzy Szmajdzinski
Jerzy Andrzej Szmajdziński was a Polish politician who was a Vice-Marshal of Polish Sejm and previously served as Minister of Defence. He was a candidate for President of Poland in the 2010 election....
, who had died in a plane crash
2010 Polish Air Force Tu-154 crash
The 2010 Polish Air Force Tu-154 crash occurred on 10 April 2010, when a Tupolev Tu-154M aircraft of the Polish Air Force crashed near the city of Smolensk, Russia, killing all 96 people on board...
, as its candidate in the upcoming presidential election. Napieralski finished third, receiving 13.68% of the votes, and did not advance to the second round of the election.
Political positions
Napieralski calls for withdrawing Polish troops from AfghanistanAfghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
as quickly as possible. He also supports more progressive tax
Progressive tax
A progressive tax is a tax by which the tax rate increases as the taxable base amount increases. "Progressive" describes a distribution effect on income or expenditure, referring to the way the rate progresses from low to high, where the average tax rate is less than the marginal tax rate...
ation. He is in favor of liberalizing the abortion law
Abortion in Poland
Abortion in Poland is banned except in the following three circumstances.# When the woman's life or health is endangered by the continuation of pregnancy,# When the pregnancy is a result of a criminal act, or# When the fetus is seriously malformed...
in Poland and of government reimbursement of in vitro fertilization and contraception. He supports same sex civil unions, although he opposes adoption of children by such pairs. He is a supporter of separation of church and state
Separation of church and state
The concept of the separation of church and state refers to the distance in the relationship between organized religion and the nation state....
and criticizes the Catholic Church's privileged position in Poland.
Personal life
He is married to Małgorzata Napieralska (née Juras) and has two daughters, Alicja and Aleksandra.External links
- Official site
- Grzegorz Napieralski - parliamentary page - includes declarations of interest, voting record, and transcripts of speeches.
- Gazeta Wyborcza on Napieralski during President Obama's visit to Poland - the largest national daily comments on the odd behaviour of the leader of a third largest political party during an official state visit of a foreign head of state.