New right-wing alliance formed to challenge SLD in Senate election

Representatives of four parties yesterday signed an agreement on setting up a new right-wing alliance to launch a challenge in the Senate to the Democratic Left Alliance (SLD), the party widely expected to win the September election. The new committee, to be known as Blok Senat 2001, will be made up of Solidarity Election Action Right (AWSP), Civic Platform (PO), Law and Justice (PiS) and Freedom Union (UW). A joint list of candidates for election to the Senate, the upper house of parliament, will be drawn up, and Krzysztof Piesiewicz of the AWSP will be the chairman of Blok Senat 2001. The committee plans to obtain the 1,000 signatures it needs for its registration by Sunday, and to announce its 100 candidates next week. (Rzeczpospolita, p. A1) P.J.