Party animals

Traditionally, it is the ruling party's two coalition partners, the League of Polish Families (LPR) and Self-defense (Samoobrona), which dominate the headlines. Towards the end of the year, the dynamic duo demonstrated an uncanny ability to get into the news, but for all the wrong reasons.

Roman Giertych, the head of LPR and the Minister of Education, raised controversy after ordering commercial advertisements in seven regional dailies. The ads contained the photo of the Minister along with positive quotations on his work in the Ministry, which were aimed at improving the poor image of Giertych and his administration.

However, the ads were funded with public money, which enraged the Polish Teachers' Association (ZNP), among others. It wants Giertych to give the money back and accused him of  neglecting more pressing issues in the education system, such as pay rises for teachers.

In the meantime, the second coalition partner, Samoobrona, and its head, Andrzej Lepper, are struggling with the party's sleazy image. The most recent accusation of sexual abuse comes from the president of one of the party's youth organizations. Lepper has declared that he will radically improve Self-defense, but the main opposition, Civic Platform (PO), is unimpressed. PO announced it would propose a vote of no confidence in Lepper, and is considering doing the same in the case of  the Foreign Affairs Minister, Law and Justice's Anna Fotyga. 

Prime Minister Jarosław Kaczyński claimed 2006 was the best year for the country in the last 17 years. If 2007 continues in this fashion, it could prove to be one of the worst.