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Poland The Suchocka Government
Once again frustrated by an uncooperative Sejm, Walesa
threatened to assume the duties of prime minister and form
his
own cabinet unless a governing coalition were assembled
within
twenty-four hours. In July two emerging coalitions in the
Sejm (a
four-party Christian and peasant block and the existing
Little
Coalition formed around the Democratic Union) surprised
most
observers by reaching agreement on the candidacy of Hanna
Suchocka of the Democratic Union and on the allocation of
cabinet
positions. Despite misgivings, Walesa approved the cabinet
with
the warning that if Suchocka failed, he would assume the
duties
of chief executive in a French-style presidential
government.
A relatively unknown political figure, Suchocka was
acceptable to other parties that felt personal antipathy
toward
the more prominent leaders of the Democratic Union. To
strengthen
support for the new government, two deputy prime minister
positions were created, one for economic affairs and one
for
politics. These posts went to members of the Christian
National
Union and the Party of Christian Democrats, respectively.
Drawing
heavily on the experience of the first three Solidarity
governments, Suchocka's cabinet included such well-known
figures
as Jacek Kuron and Janusz Onyszkiewicz (minister of
national
defense) of the Democratic Union, Bielecki of the LiberalDemocratic Congress, Eysymontt of the Polish Economic
Program,
and independent Krzysztof Skubiszewski (minister of
foreign
affairs). Members of the Little Coalition received eleven
ministerial posts, most of which were concerned with
economic
policy; the Christian National Union received five cabinet
positions, ensuring it a prominent role in social policy
issues
such as abortion. Noticeably outside the coalition were
the
Center Alliance, the Social Democracy of the Republic of
Poland,
and the Confederation for Independent Poland, all of which
found
their political fortunes declining in mid-1992.
Data as of October 1992
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