Buzek achieves goal of party realignment prior to parliamentary elections

Prime Minister Jerzy Buzek's suggestion that all parties making up Solidarity Election Action (AWS) should be transformed into a single party for the upcoming parliamentary elections has been realized. On Saturday Buzek himself, as leader of Solidarity Election Action Social Movement (RS AWS), and Antoni Tokarczuk of the PPChD, signed a declaration on running for the elections together. They have also invited Bronislaw Geremek and his Freedom Union (UW) to join the new group. On Sunday the UW confirmed it would consider entering the elections together with Buzek's 'new body'. However, the Christian National Alliance (SKL) has decided to abandon the AWS and run for the elections with Platforma Obywatelska. The AWS appears now to be split into two antagonistic and competing blocks, one formed around the RS AWS and PPChD, and the other around Marian Krzaklewski and the Right Alliance (PP) of Kazimierz Ujazdowski and Wieslaw Walendziak. (Rzeczpospolita, 30 April - 1 May, p.A1; Gazeta Wyborcza, 30 April -1 May, p.7) J.K.