New Left (Poland)
The New Left is a social-democratic list of political [parties in Poland|political party in Poland]. It is positioned on the centre or centre-left of the political spectrum. Its leader is Włodzimierz Czarzasty.
It was formed in 2021 as a merger of the Democratic Left Alliance and Spring, although the plans for the merger began in 2019. It is a part of The Left coalition. It holds pro-European views.
History
Spring and the Democratic Left Alliance initially cooperated in 2019 during the October 2019 parliamentary election, as part of The Left alliance. After the election, the plan to merge the two parties was announced. As a consequence, in 2020, SLD changed its name to the New Left as the new party was to be based on the structures of the alliance. However, further plans concerning merger were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.On 11 June 2021, the Spring's general assembly voted in favour of dissolving the party in order to merge with the SLD.
In the 2023 Polish parliamentary election, The Left coalition technically participated as the New Left party, whose list included representatives of Left Together, Labour Union, Polish Socialist Party and Social Democracy of Poland. It joined the four-party coalition that nominated Donald Tusk as its candidate for prime minister. It received four seats in Tusk's cabinet, with Krzysztof Gawkowski as a deputy premier. It is the first time a left-wing party has been in government since the SLD's last government was defeated in 2005.