Poland marks anniversary of historic 1989 vote

Poland has marked the 34th anniversary of its first partially free elections after World War II, a landmark vote that heralded the collapse of communism in the country after decades of totalitarian rule.

Photo:

PAP/Tomasz Waszczuk

On June 4, 1989, partly free elections were held to the lower house of Poland’s parliament, the Sejm, and completely free elections to the upper house, the Senate.

A 1989 Polish election poster designed by Tomasz Sarnecki and based on the 1952 American film "High Noon." Photo: PAP/Tomasz Gzell

The Solidarity opposition movement scored a resounding victory, winning all the seats available to it in the Sejm, and all but one seat in the freely contested Senate.

The vote was a milestone that is seen as triggering a domino effect across the region, culminating in the fall of the Berlin Wall, a symbol of decades of division between Western Europe and the communist East.

The state-run Institute of National Remembrance (IPN) said on Twitter on Sunday that Poles headed to the ballot box in droves 34 years ago in an effort to change their country's political system.

#TegoDnia 34 lata temu Polacy tłumnie ruszyli do urn wyborczych. Wynik pierwszej tury głosowania z 4 czerwca 1989 r. pokazał, że chcą zmiany ustroju. Opozycja nie sięgnęła jednak po władzę. Honorowała kontrakt zawarty przy Okrągłym Stole. 📰 Więcej 🔻🔻🔻 https://t.co/PioIhVbtFa

— Instytut Pamięci Narodowej (@ipngovpl) June 4, 2023

(gs)

Source: Polish Radio, IPN