Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz
Encyclopedia
Włodzimierz Cimoszewicz (vwɔˈd͡ʑimʲɛʂ t͡ɕimɔˈʂɛvʲit͡ʂ, born 13 September 1950 in Warsaw
, Poland) is a Polish politician. He was a member of the left-wing Democratic Left Alliance
, the Prime Minister of Poland from 1996 to Autumn 1997, the Foreign Minister of Poland
in the governments of Leszek Miller
(2001–2004) and Marek Belka
(2004–2005), the speaker of the Sejm
(lower chamber of the Polish parliament) in January – October 2005 and the leftist candidate in the Polish presidential election of 1990
(received 9% of the votes) and of 2005
(withdrew before the elections and promised to abandon politics).
Along with Leszek Miller
, he signed the Accession Treaty that paved way to Polish membership in the European Union
.
Cimoszewicz returned to politics during 2007 parliamentary election
, when he won Senate seat as an independent candidate.
). He instantly became a leader in the polls. He ran previously in 1990 and received 9.21% vote. In 1990, Lech Wałęsa
and Stan Tymiński went on to the second round. Cimoszewicz did not run in the years 1995 and 2000 giving way to his close colleague Aleksander Kwaśniewski
who twice became president. His election committee was chaired by the wife of President Kwaśniewski, Jolanta Kwaśniewska
.
On 9 July 2005, Cimoszewicz caused a major political uproar by refusing to testify in front of the Orlen commission. He accused 7 of its 8 members of being politically motivated, partial and bent on undermining his presidential bid. Constitutional experts are split on whether his move was constitutional or if Cimoszewicz broke the law. 58% of the Poles disapproved of Cimoszewicz's behavior before the commission.
According to a poll by Rzeczpospolita
, Cimoszewicz was a "hands down" leader on 5 July 2005:
He was predicted to win the second round, independent of who was going to reach it from the second place. In the event the election was won by Lech Kaczyński
.
In 2009, he was one of two candidates to replace Terry Davis as Secretary General of the Council of Europe
. However, in September 2009, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
elected other candidate Thorbjørn Jagland
as the new secretary general.
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
, Poland) is a Polish politician. He was a member of the left-wing 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....
, the Prime Minister of Poland from 1996 to Autumn 1997, the Foreign Minister of Poland
Politics of Poland
The politics of Poland take place in the framework of a parliamentary representative democratic republic, whereby the Prime Minister is the head of government of a multi-party system and the President is the head of state....
in the governments of Leszek Miller
Leszek Miller
Leszek Cezary Miller is a Polish central-left-wing politician, leader of the Democratic Left Alliance , Prime Minister of the government of the Republic of Poland in 2001-2004.-Childhood and youth:...
(2001–2004) and Marek Belka
Marek Belka
Marek Marian Belka is a Polish professor of Economics, a former Prime Minister and Finance Minister of Poland, former Director of the International Monetary Fund's European Department and current Head of National Bank of Poland.- Biography :...
(2004–2005), the speaker of the 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 ....
(lower chamber of the Polish parliament) in January – October 2005 and the leftist candidate in the Polish presidential election of 1990
Polish presidential election, 1990
The 1990 Presidential elections were held in Poland on Sunday, November 25 , and Sunday, December 9 . These were the first direct presidential elections in the history of Poland. Before World War II, presidents were elected by the Sejm, but the Sejm was abolished in 1952. The leader of the...
(received 9% of the votes) and of 2005
Polish presidential election, 2005
-External links:**] ]**...
(withdrew before the elections and promised to abandon politics).
Along with Leszek Miller
Leszek Miller
Leszek Cezary Miller is a Polish central-left-wing politician, leader of the Democratic Left Alliance , Prime Minister of the government of the Republic of Poland in 2001-2004.-Childhood and youth:...
, he signed the Accession Treaty that paved way to Polish membership in the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
.
Cimoszewicz returned to politics during 2007 parliamentary election
Polish parliamentary election, 2007
Early parliamentary elections for both houses of parliament were held in Poland on 21 October 2007 after the Sejm voted for its own dissolution on 7 September 2007. The election took place two years before the maximum tenure of four years, with the previous elections having been in September 2005...
, when he won Senate seat as an independent candidate.
Presidential bid
On 28 June 2005, Cimoszewicz declared his intent to run for Polish President (see: Election 2005Polish presidential election, 2005
-External links:**] ]**...
). He instantly became a leader in the polls. He ran previously in 1990 and received 9.21% vote. In 1990, Lech Wałęsa
Lech Wałęsa
Lech Wałęsa is a Polish politician, trade-union organizer, and human-rights activist. A charismatic leader, he co-founded Solidarity , the Soviet bloc's first independent trade union, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983, and served as President of Poland between 1990 and 95.Wałęsa was an electrician...
and Stan Tymiński went on to the second round. Cimoszewicz did not run in the years 1995 and 2000 giving way to his close colleague Aleksander Kwaśniewski
Aleksander Kwasniewski
Aleksander Kwaśniewski is a Polish politician who served as the President of Poland from 1995 to 2005. He was born in Białogard, and during communist rule he was active in the Socialist Union of Polish Students and was the Minister for Sport in the communist government in the 1980s...
who twice became president. His election committee was chaired by the wife of President Kwaśniewski, Jolanta Kwaśniewska
Jolanta Kwaśniewska
Jolanta Kwaśniewska , née Konty is a Polish lawyer and charity activist who was First Lady of Poland between 1995 and 2005, as the wife of the then president Aleksander Kwaśniewski....
.
On 9 July 2005, Cimoszewicz caused a major political uproar by refusing to testify in front of the Orlen commission. He accused 7 of its 8 members of being politically motivated, partial and bent on undermining his presidential bid. Constitutional experts are split on whether his move was constitutional or if Cimoszewicz broke the law. 58% of the Poles disapproved of Cimoszewicz's behavior before the commission.
According to a poll by Rzeczpospolita
Rzeczpospolita (newspaper)
Rzeczpospolita is a Polish national daily newspaper, with a circulation around of 160,000. Issued every day except Sunday. Rzeczpospolita was printed in broadsheet format, then switched to compact at October 16, 2007...
, Cimoszewicz was a "hands down" leader on 5 July 2005:
- Cimoszewicz: 28% vote
- Kaczyński: 19%
- Lepper: 17%
- Religa: 15%
- Tusk: 11%
- Borowski: 5%
He was predicted to win the second round, independent of who was going to reach it from the second place. In the event the election was won by Lech Kaczyński
Lech Kaczynski
Lech Aleksander Kaczyński was Polish lawyer and politician who served as the President of Poland from 2005 until 2010 and as Mayor of Warsaw from 2002 until 22 December 2005. Before he became a president, he was also a member of the party Prawo i Sprawiedliwość...
.
In 2009, he was one of two candidates to replace Terry Davis as Secretary General of the Council of Europe
Secretary General of the Council of Europe
The Secretary General of the Council of Europe is appointed by the Parliamentary Assembly on the recommendation of the Committee of Ministers for a period of five years...
. However, in September 2009, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe , which held its first session in Strasbourg on 10 August 1949, can be considered the oldest international parliamentary assembly with a pluralistic composition of democratically elected members of parliament established on the basis of an...
elected other candidate Thorbjørn Jagland
Thorbjørn Jagland
is a Norwegian politician for the Labour Party, currently serving as the Secretary-General of the Council of Europe...
as the new secretary general.