Aleksander Kwaśniewski facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Aleksander Kwaśniewski
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Kwaśniewski in 2012
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| 3rd President of Poland | |
| In office 23 December 1995 – 23 December 2005 |
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| Prime Minister | Józef Oleksy Włodzimierz Cimoszewicz Jerzy Buzek Leszek Miller Marek Belka Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz |
| Preceded by | Lech Wałęsa |
| Succeeded by | Lech Kaczyński |
| Leader of the Social Democracy | |
| In office 30 January 1990 – 23 December 1995 |
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| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Józef Oleksy |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 15 November 1954 Białogard, Poland |
| Political party | Independent (1995–present) |
| Other political affiliations |
Polish United Workers' Party (1977–1990) Social Democracy (1990–1995) Democratic Left Alliance (1991–1995) Left and Democrats (2007) Europa Plus (2014) |
| Spouse |
Jolanta Konty
(m. 1979) |
| Children | Aleksandra Kwaśniewska |
| Alma mater | University of Gdańsk (Did not graduate) |
| Awards |
See list
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Aleksander Kwaśniewski (born 15 November 1954) is a Polish politician and journalist. He served as the president of Poland for ten years, from 1995 to 2005. During his time as President, Poland grew a lot, its economy doubled, and a new Polish Constitution was created in 1997. Poland also joined important groups like NATO in 1999 and the European Union in 2004. In 2004, he helped find a peaceful solution during the Orange Revolution in Ukraine.
He was born in Białogard, Poland. He studied at the University of Gdańsk and worked as the Minister of Sport in the government during the 1980s. After the end of Communism, he became a leader of the Social Democracy of the Republic of Poland party and helped start the Democratic Left Alliance.
Kwaśniewski was elected president in 1995, winning against the previous president, Lech Wałęsa. He was re-elected for a second term in 2000. Because of a rule that limits presidents to two terms, his time as president ended on 23 December 2005. Many people in Poland think he was one of the best presidents after 1989.
Contents
Early Political Life (1973–1995)
Aleksander Kwaśniewski studied at the University of Gdańsk from 1973 to 1977. During this time, he became active in politics. He joined the ruling Polish United Workers' Party (PZPR) in 1977 and stayed a member until the party ended in 1990.
He was very active in student groups. He led the University Council of the Socialist Union of Polish Students from 1976 to 1977. He also worked as an editor for student and youth newspapers, like ITD and Sztandar Młodych. In 1985, he helped create Bajtek, which was one of the first computer magazines in Poland.
From 1985 to 1987, Kwaśniewski was the Minister for Youth Affairs. He then became the Chairman of the Committee for Youth and Physical Culture until 1990. He also joined the government of Mieczysław Rakowski.
He took part in the important Round-Table negotiations. These talks helped Poland move from a communist system to a democratic one. After the communist party ended, he helped create the Social Democratic Party and became its first leader. He also helped form the Democratic Left Alliance in 1991.
Kwaśniewski was also involved in sports. He was active in the Student Sports Union and the Polish Olympic Committee (PKOL), later becoming its president from 1988 to 1991. In 1991, he was elected to the Sejm, which is Poland's parliament. He led the parliamentary group of the Democratic Left Alliance from 1991 to 1995.
Becoming President (1995)
In 1995, Aleksander Kwaśniewski ran for president. It was a tough campaign, but he won the election with 51.7% of the votes. He defeated the president at the time, Lech Wałęsa. Kwaśniewski's campaign slogans were "Let's choose the future" and "A Poland for all."
He officially became president on 23 December 1995. On the same day, he also became the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.
Presidency (1995–2005)
As president, Kwaśniewski wanted to be a leader for all Poles, even those who didn't support him. He left his political party after being elected. He worked with different governments, even those from other parties. His popularity was very high, often over 50%.
Key Achievements
One of Kwaśniewski's biggest achievements was helping to create a new Constitution of Poland. The old one was based on a communist-era document. He worked hard to get the new constitution approved, and he signed it into law in 1997.
He also played a big part in Poland joining NATO. He led Poland's team at important meetings where Poland, the Czech Republic, and Hungary were invited to join NATO. In 1999, he signed the papers that made Poland officially a member of NATO. He also supported other countries joining the alliance later.
Kwaśniewski believed in cooperation between countries in Central and Eastern Europe. He hosted a meeting of leaders in Poland in 1996. He also worked to improve relations with neighboring countries like Lithuania. In 1997, he helped sign a friendship treaty with Lithuania. Poland then became a strong supporter of Lithuania and Ukraine joining NATO and the European Union.
In 2000, he was re-elected president in the first round of voting, getting 53.9% of the votes. His slogan for this campaign was "A home for all—Poland." He started his second term on 23 December 2000.
After the events of 11 September 2001, Kwaśniewski organized a meeting in Warsaw to help countries in the region work together against international terrorism. Under his leadership, Poland became a strong ally of the United States in the fight against terrorism and sent troops to the Iraq War.
A major event during his second term was Poland joining the European Union on 1 May 2004. Both he and his wife, Jolanta, campaigned for Poland to join the EU. He also played a key role in helping to resolve the Orange Revolution in Ukraine peacefully in late 2004.
Post-Presidency
After his presidency ended, Aleksander Kwaśniewski continued to be active in global affairs. In 2006, he became a special scholar at Georgetown University in the United States. There, he teaches students about European politics and how countries become democratic.
He also became the Chairman of the European Council on Tolerance and Reconciliation. This group works to promote understanding and good relations between different religions and ethnic groups in Europe.
From 2012, Kwaśniewski and Pat Cox led a mission for the European Parliament to monitor legal cases in Ukraine. He also joined the Leadership Council for Concordia, an organization that promotes cooperation between public and private groups for a better future.
In 2014, he took a director's position in a gas company called Burisma Holdings in Ukraine. In 2019, he became a member of the International Advisory Council for Uzbekistan.
Awards
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Aleksander Kwaśniewski has received many awards and honors from Poland and other countries. Some of these include:
- From Poland: The Order of the White Eagle (Poland) and the Order of Polonia Restituta.
- From Lithuania: The Order of Vytautas the Great.
- From the United Kingdom: Honorary Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath.
- From France: The Legion of Honour.
- From Ukraine: The Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise.
- International awards: The Order of the Smile and the Golden Olympic Order.
He has also received honorary degrees from universities in Jerusalem, Kyiv, and Vilnius. In 2010, he became an honorary citizen of Warsaw.
Personal Life
In 1979, Aleksander Kwaśniewski married Jolanta Konty. They have one daughter named Aleksandra, who was born in 1981.
He identifies as an atheist. In 2005, at the end of his second presidential term, he and his wife had a quiet Catholic ceremony to confirm their marriage.
See Also
In Spanish: Aleksander Kwaśniewski para niños
- Presidents of Poland
- 2005 Polish presidential election
