In the spotlight: Andrzej Lepper

But an ongoing presidential campaign and the failure of coalition talks between PiS and PO brought Lepper back into the spotlight. PiS Presidential candidate Lech Kaczyński appealed to Lepper's supporters by joining in his "Balcerowicz must go" refrain. Soon afterwards, SO's chairman was elected Deputy Speaker of the Sejm, thanks to the votes of PiS representatives. With the coalition negotiations between PiS and PO terminated, it became certain that Self-defense's support would be vital for Marcinkiewicz's government to win the vote of confidence.

A farmer from the Zachodniopomorskie voivodship, Lepper became famous in the early 1990s when he formed the Self-defense Farmer's Trade Union and became known for organizing road-blocks, emptying trains full of imported crops and advocating that farmers not pay back their loans. In 1995 he ran for President, and recieved 1.3 percent of the votes. When he ran again in 2000, he garnered 3.05 percent. In 2001 SO turned the Polish political scene upside-down, becoming the third-largest force in parliament. Lepper was elected Deputy Speaker, but was removed from the post after accusing a number of politicians of taking bribes and preventing vendors in Wrocław from being forced off the streets. He has a number of court cases pending against him.