SKL forms new center-right political party, breaks ties with Civic Platform

A new political party was formed Sunday during a congress of the Christian National Alliance (SKL). The SKL - New Poland Movement (SKL-Ruch Nowej Polski) will be headed by Artur Balazs. Former deputy Prime Minister Janusz Steinhoff will be deputy head of the new party. The organization decided to break all ties with the Civic Platform (PO), formerly a strong ally of the SKL, with a number of members even belonging to both parties. All SKL members who support the PO will have to decide whether to stay or leave the new party. The severance of ties between the two parties was done in a friendly manner. "There were no fights between us, no insults," said Artur Balazs. Jan Maria Rokita, former head of the SKL, decided to leave his party, committing himself to the PO. (Rzeczpospolita, p. A1; Gazeta Wyborcza, p. 9) A.K.