Silesian Autonomy Movement | |
---|---|
Leader | Jerzy Gorzelik |
Founded | January 1990 (organisation) 27 June 2001 (voluntary association) |
Headquarters | Plac Wolności 7 (Freedom Square 7), 44-200 Rybnik |
Membership | ~ 7,000 |
Ideology | Pro-Europeanism, Pro-Federalism, Regionalism, Minority rights and interests |
European affiliation | European Free Alliance |
International affiliation | European Free Alliance |
Colours | Yellow, Blue |
Sejm of Silesian Voivodeship | 3 / 30
|
Website | |
http://autonomia.pl |
The Silesian Autonomy Movement (Polish: Ruch Autonomii Śląska, German: Bewegung für die Autonomie Schlesiens[1], Silesian: Ruch Autůnůmije Ślůnska, abbreviated as RAŚ) is a movement officially declaring its support for recovery the autonomy of Silesia[2] as part of a unified Europe. The association was founded in January 1990 by Rudolf Kołodziejczyk and is based mainly in the Polish part of Upper Silesia. It has its roots in the autonomy and other self-governing entities movement which has a long tradition (Silesian duchies existed about 800 years, from 1138 to 1918), a movement that sees the Silesians as a separate people rather than primarily as Poles or Germans.
On 17 October 2009, the Silesian Autonomy Movement signed a cooperation agreement with its German sister organisation, Initiative der Autonomie Schlesiens (IAS), based in Würzburg, and the UK-based Silesian Autonomy Movement.
Many members departs from the RAŚ to more radical organizations, example Silesian Separatist Movement (Śląski Ruch Separatystyczny) or Silesian National Movement (Śląski Ruch Narodowy) which seeking a full independence for Silesia. Other organizations, example People of the Silesian Nation (Związek Ludności Narodowości Śląskiej) calls for immediate recognition of Silesian nation in Poland. However, the number of supporters grows every year, because more and more people so far undecided begins of support of Silesian Autonomy Movement.
RAŚ is member of the European Political party EFA (European Free Alliance) since 2002.
In 2007 RAŚ reactivated of the football club 1. FC Katowice. Also from 2007 to today organized of the Marches of Autonomy (pl, szl).
Polish parliamentary elections
The movement participated in the 1991 parliamentary elections and received 40,061 votes (0.36%) and two seats, one of its MP was Kazimierz Świtoń.
In the 2001 parliamentary elections, two candidates of the movement were included on the lists of the Civic Platform (PO).
In the elections of 2005, several candidates from the movement, including its vice president Krzysztof Kluczniok, took part on the list of the Polish Peasant Party (PSL).
Polish local elections, 2006
In the Polish local elections, 2006, the movement did not win a single seat in the sejmik of the Silesian Voivodeship, gaining 4.35% of the popular vote. It placed after main parties in Poland: Civic Platform (PO), Law and Justice (PiS), Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) and Polish People's Party (PSL), but ahead other main parties in Poland: Self-Defense of the Republic of Poland (Samoobrona), which won 3.96%, and the League of Polish Families (LPR), which won 3.46%. In Opole Voivodeship, RAŚ won 1.46% of all ballots. RAŚ won mandates in a few municipalities and county councils: in Katowice (7.7% of the popular vote), Ruda Śląska (9.39%), Zabrze (5.71%), Tychy (5.1%), Bytom (6.8%), Mysłowice (8.3%) and Gliwice county (7.54%), Bieruń-Lędziny county (10.4%), Tarnowskie Góry county (7.73%), Siemianowice Śląskie (4.94%), Piekary Śląskie (5.06%), Rybnik county (8.1%).
Polish local elections, 2010
In the Polish local elections, 2010, the movement win a three seats (for Jerzy Gorzelik, Henryk Mercik, Janusz Wita) the sejmik of the Silesian Voivodeship, gaining 8.5% of the popular vote. It is two times more than in previous elections (in 2006). It placed after main parties in Poland: Civic Platform (PO), Law and Justice (PiS) and Democratic Left Alliance (SLD), but ahead other main parties in Poland: Polish People's Party (PSL), Self-Defense of the Republic of Poland (Samoobrona) and the League of Polish Families (LPR). In the Silesia land in the Silesian Voivodeship are the following results: Chorzów area - 17,50%, Katowice area - 15.96%, Rybnik area - 14.57%, Gliwice area - 8.70% and Bielsko-Biała area - 1.58% (only half the area of Bielsko-Biała lies in the Silesia region). Generally, average result in Silesia land within Silesian Voivodeship (Katowice, Chorzów, Rybnik and Gliwice areas) is nearly 15%. In districts of the Silesian Voivodeship whole outside Silesia region are the following results: Sosnowiec area - 1.37% and Częstochowa area - 0.69%. Towns, cities, communes or municipality councils: Gmina Godów - (10 from 15 seats), Gmina Lyski - (8 from 12 seats), Gmina Cisek - 41.26% (4 seats), powiat rybnicki - 25.61% (5 seats), Czerwionka-Leszczyny 20.48% (4 seats), Mysłowice - 9.29% (2 seats), Katowice - 8.86%, Chorzów - 8.69%, Ruda Śląska - 8.18%, powiat wodzisławski - 7.91%, powiat opolski - 5.27%, powiat bieruńsko-lędziński - 4.54% and Gmina Gaszowice (1 seat), Gmina Marklowice (1 seat). Candidates on the towns, cities, communes or municipalites majors: Gmina Godów - 90.3%, Gmina Lyski - 64.67%, Mysłowice - 9.79%, Ruda Śląska - 7.75%, Chorzów - 7.61%, Rybnik - 3.78%.[3][4] RAŚ in comparison with the other parties did not have a developed election campaign also RAŚ is not a political party but a social organization.
Office for state protection report
In 2000 polish Office For State Protection warned that RAŚ may be a "potential threat to the Poland's interests" [5].
See also
- Silesian Separatist Movement
- Union of Upper Silesians
- Silesian People's Party
- German Minority (political party)
References
- ^ http://www.raslaska.aremedia.net/deu/index.htm
- ^ http://autonomia.pl/index.php?option=com_content&task=section&id=1&Itemid=15
- ^ http://autonomia.pl/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=631
- ^ http://wybory2010.pkw.gov.pl/geo/pl/240000/240000.html
- ^ Raport Urzędu Ochrony Państwa dotyczący zagrożeń dla bezpieczeństwa państwa w aspekcie wewnętrznym i zewnętrznym oraz ujawnionych w tym zakresie przestępstw w 1999 roku
External links
- Konrad Pędziwiatr, Silesian autonomist movement in Poland and one of its activists, Tischner European University