This is a series of posts that records the cases of cohabitation in countries with semi-presidential constitutions. Cohabitation is defined as the situation where the president and prime minister are from different parties and where the president’s party is not represented in the cabinet. Presidents classed as non-party cannot generate any periods of cohabitation.

Here is my list of cohabitations in Poland:

Dec 1991 – Jun 1992
President – Lech Wałęsa (NSZZ); PM – Jan Olszewski (PC); Government – PC, ZChN, PL

Jun 1992 – Jul 1992
President – Lech Wałęsa (NSZZ); PM – Waldemar Pawlak (PSL); Government – PSL, PC, ZChN

Jul 1992 – Oct 1993
President – Lech Wałęsa (NSZZ); PM – Hanna Suchocka (UD); Government – UD, KLD, ZChN, PChD, SL-Ch, PPG, PL

Oct 1993 – Mar 1995
President – Lech Wałęsa (NSZZ); PM – Waldemar Pawlak (PSL); Government – SLD, PSL

Mar 1995 – Dec 1995
President – Lech Wałęsa (NSZZ); PM – Józef Oleksy (SdRP/SLD); Government – SLD, PSL

Oct 1997 – Oct 2001
President – Aleksander Kwaśniewski (SdRP/SLD); PM – Jerzy Karol Buzek (AWS); Government – AWS, UW (to June 2000)

Nov 2007 – April 2010
Lech Aleksander Kaczyński (PiS); PM – Donald Tusk (PO); Government – PO, PSL

Source of party affiliations and cabinet composition: European Journal of Political Research (yearbook – various years)

Party abbreviations:
AWS – Akcja Wyborcza Solidarność (Solidarity Electoral Action)
KLD – Kongres Liberalno-Demokratyczny (Liberal Democratic Congress)
NSZZ – Niezależny Samorządny Związek Zawodowy ‘Solidarność’ (Independent Self-Governing Trade Union ‘Solidarity’)
PC – Porozumienie Centrum (Center Alliance)
PChD – Partia Chrześcijańskich Demokratów (Christian Democrats Party)
PiS – Prawo i Sprawiedliwość (Law and Justice)
PL – Porozumienie Ludowe (Peasants Agreement)
PO – Platforma Obywatelska (Civic Platform)
PPG – Polski Program Gospodarczyl (Polish Economic Program)
PSL – Polskie Stronnictwo Ludowe (Polish Peasant Party)
SdRP – Socjaldemokracja Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej (Social Democracy of the Republic of Poland)
SL-Ch – Stronnictwo Ludowo-Chrześcijańskiej (Peasant Christian Party)
SLD – Sojusz Lewicy Demokratycznej (Democratic Left Alliance)
UD – Unia Demokratyczna (Democratic Union)
UW – Unia Wolności (Freedom Union)
ZChN – Zjednoczenie Chrześcijańsko-Narodowe (Christian-National Union)