Abstract

The author has made an attempt to define institutional peculiarities of the party system evolution in Poland during democratic transition. There have been contemplated political and historical prerequisites for its establishment, the functioning and characteristic features of the legal basis as well modern tendencies in the consolidation of the Polish party system. It has been determined that among the main political and historical prerequisites for the Polish multi­party system development one should mention the following: public riots in the late 1970s – early 1980s, the evolution of the trade union «Solidarity» into a mass oppositional sociopolitical institution, public activities of a number of illegal oppositional organizations, appearance of political reformers within the reigning Communist party. The party system in Poland went through decades of evolution with certain stages, such as: party system with a dominant hegemon party, heterogenous multi­party system, moderate pluralism. Multi­party system consolidation was marked by elaboration of the legal basis for political parties’ performance along with regulation of the election process, particularly legislation on political parties and on Elections to the Seym. At present the party system in Poland functions within the framework of the 2 key parties’ performance: «Law and Justice» and «Civic Platform». These 2 parties have formed the government in turn.