Ziobro: photo - PAP/Paweł Supernak.
Solidarna Polska alludes to the Solidarity protest movement of the 1980s, and could be translated as “Solidarity Poland” or “Unified Poland.”
“Solidarity Poland is now a fact,” Ziobro, currently a member of the European Parliament (MEP), declared at a press briefing.
“From today we move forward to victory,” he said.
“We have a lot to do for Poland, and a lot to do for Poles,” he said.
The party is based around a core of former members of the conservative Law and Justice party (PiS).
Solidarna Polska currently has 20 MPs, 2 senators and 4 MEPs.
According to an opinion poll carried out between 21 and 22 March by TNS OBOP, less than 2 percent of the electorate would vote for the party at present.
Ziobro, who served as justice minister in the Law and Justice government of 2005-2007, had once been tipped as a possible leader of party, but he was expelled for disloyalty to the leadership on 4 November 20011, in the wake of the autumn general election.
Shortly afterwards, a number of Ziobro's supporters founded a new parliamentary caucus , appealing to Law and Justice members for “decisive change” in the party, “thanks to which the Polish right can win the hearts and minds of Poles and finally win [an election].”
Ziobro's supporters were duly expelled from the party.
'Two lungs'
Solidarna Polska was careful not to cut ties completely with Law and Justice, stating that the Polish conservative movement functions best with “two lungs”.
Deputy leader of the party Jacek Kurski, stated that “we can form a coalition.”
Meanwhile, the new party declared itself “pro-life”: "from birth until natural death," siding itself with anti-abortion and anti-euthanasia activists.
An extension of maternity leave from six to nine months was also proposed.
The party declared itself against the building of a nuclear power plant on Polish soil, and proposed a “fat cat" tax for big companies such a supermarkets.
The party backed tax cuts for the lowest earners and a rise in taxes for those who earn more than 10,000 zloty per month (2400 euro). (nh/pg)