The Civic Coalition (Polish: Koalicja Obywatelska, KO) is a political party in Poland. It was created on 25 October 2025 from a merger of Civic Platform (PO), Modern (N.) and Polish Initiative (iPL).[6] Given the dominant position of the Civic Platform, Civic Coalition has been described as a rename of PO.[7] The party is based on the statute of Civic Platform.[8]
The three parties, along with the Greens, formed an electoral coaliton in 2018 also known as the Civic Coalition. In October 2025, it was decided that the parties would merge into a single party with a name and logo identical to that of the 2018 Civic Coalition, while the party's flag was decided to be the logo of the Civic Platform.[9] The Greens did not participate in the merger, opting to remain a separate formation instead.[10]
In October 2025, the ruling party Civic Platform and its two minor partners, Modern and Polish Initiative, announced their party plans to merge into a single party.[11] The merger was planned to take place earlier in autumn of 2025, but it was delayed by negotiations between the regional branches of the merging parties. In October, it was announced that the national convention of the new party would take place on 25 October 2025.[6]
At the convention, the new logo and name of the party was revealed. The new party took the same logo and name as the Civic Coalition alliance created for the 2019 Polish parliamentary election. The main members of this coalition became Civic Plaform, Modern, Polish Initiative and the Greens. Proposals to transform the Civic Coalition into a single party already appeared in 2019, but were never realized.[12] All three parties are also to unite into a single parliamentary group.[13] Political pundits described the unification as a greater concentration of power within the Civic Platform, the dominating party within the merger.[14]
The logo of both the party and coalition became a white and red heart, described as "the hallmark of KO parliamentarians". Some members of the coalition, such as the Greens, did not participate in the merger, opting to remain an independent party instead.[6] Two days prior to the convention, Civic Platform, Modern and Polish Initiative declared that they recognize the "programmatic and identity autonomy" of the Greens.[15] The political party Modern dissolved itself a day before the convention, on 24 October. Polish Initiative is to dissolve on 15 November.[16]
Civic Coaliton will start elections of its leadership within a month after the convention.[17] The unification and leadership election process is set to conclude on 24 January 2026.[18] The leadership is to be elected by all dues-paying members of the merged parties, which is estimated to be around 25,000 people.[1] Civic Coalition held a convention on its political program on 26 October.[19] The convention was closed off to the media; politicians of the Civic Coalition stated that the political program convention discussed "security, economic competitiveness, and nuclear energy", and that one of the party's postulates is the contruction of the Satellite Operations Center (Polish: Centrum Operacji Satelitarnych).[20]
At the end of October, Donald Tusk announced that the Civic Coalition would reactivate the Civic Institute (Polish: Instytut Obywatelski), Civic Platform's think tank that stopped its activities after the 2023 Polish parliamentary election.[21] On 15 November, Polish Initiative formally dissolved itself as a party to complete its merger into Civic Coalition. The majority of party members declared that they would now join the Civic Coalition.[22] Political scientist Paweł Trawicki argued that the Polish Initiative would represent a "more centre-left wing" of the KO,[23] although Polish Initiative only had about a hundred members at dissolution, compared to almost 25,000 members that Civic Platform had.[24]
Ideology
The party has been described as liberal-conservative,[2]moderately conservative,[25] a centrist-liberal force,[26] the "centre-right/liberal option",[27] as well as a party that includes conservatives as well as "more liberal" factions.[28] Civic Coalition presents conservative, centrist and liberal tendencies. Zbigniew Konwiński, one of the leaders of the 2018 Civic Coalition, described the party as "broad centre" that is united by "the rule of law, Poland's place in the European Union, commitment to European values".[29] The party is considered to represent the middle-class electorate.[30]
Polish political scientist Paweł Trawicki argued that Polish Initative brings a "more centre-left wing" to the party;[23] while TVP World described KO as a merger of "the center-right Civic Platform" with "centrist Nowoczesna (Modern) party and the progressive Polish Initiative".[31] In contrast, Elodie Thevenin of Jagiellonian University described all three parties as centre-right.[32] Political scientist Andrzej Zybała stated that the party is a rename of Civic Platform, arguing that "the Civic Platform merged with much smaller entities" and that "the Polish Initative was never a large party."[30] Polish political newspaper Rzeczpospolita argues that the Civic Coalition intends to present a centre-right profile, as it has shifted to the right on ECHR, immigration and abortion.[33]
The party describes itself as pro-European.[34] However, it criticizes the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR); Donald Tusk, the prime minister from the party, described immigration as "the greatest threat" that leads to "increasingly difficult ethnic and cultural relations in our societies". He argued that the ECHR is overtly restrictive and hampers effective anti-immigration policies, and that if the signatories to the convention "cannot agree on its reform, it is quite reasonable to consider simply leaving it".[35] Commenting on the party's declaration, Krytyka Polityczna criticized KO as a "conservative party of power" that is "incapable of defending liberal principles",[36] while The Sunday Times wrote that the party's stance on ECHR aligns with Reform UK and the British Conservative Party.[37]
Großmann, Viktoria (13 November 2025). "Polen: PiS-Ex-Justizminister Ziobro flieht nach Ungarn"[Poland: Former PiS Justice Minister Ziobro flees to Hungary]. Süddeutsche Zeitung (in German). Warsaw. Nach der jüngsten Befragung liegt die liberalkonservative Bürgerkoalition (KO) bei 33 Prozent.[According to the latest poll, the liberal-conservative Civic Coalition (KO) stands at 33 per cent.]
Fritz, Philipp (16 November 2025). "Warum Polens Premier Tusk trotz guter Bilanz angeschlagen wirkt"[Why Poland's Prime Minister Tusk appears shaken despite his strong track record]. Die Welt (in German). Warsaw. Seine liberal-konservative Bürgerkoalition (KO) steht einer aktuellen Umfrage zufolge bei gerade mal 29 Prozent der Wählerstimmen.[According to a recent poll, his liberal-conservative Civic Coalition (KO) stands at just 29 per cent of the vote.]
Radecki, Bartłomiej (25 October 2025). "Donald Tusk zapowiada: „Wygramy wybory w 2027 roku!". Tłum oszalał na konwencji". Warszawa w Pigułce (in Polish). Jak podkreślił, jego celem jest utrzymanie kierunku proeuropejskiego i obrona demokratycznych instytucji przed upolitycznieniem.[As he emphasized, his goal is to maintain a pro-European direction and defend democratic institutions against politicization.]
"Une division européenne à l'horizon – La Hongrie forme une alliance de sceptiques sur l'Ukraine"[European division on the horizon – Hungary forms alliance of Ukraine sceptics]. Sloboden Pečat (in French). 29 October 2025. L'actuel Premier ministre polonais, issu du parti de centre-droit, Donald Tusk, est résolument pro-ukrainien et il est peu probable qu'il rejoigne le Premier ministre hongrois.[The current Polish Prime Minister, Donald Tusk, of the centre-right party, is staunchly pro-Ukrainian and is unlikely to side with the Hungarian Prime Minister.]
Łoginow, Kuba (10 November 2025). "Poľský Zelenskyj končí v politike. Ani jemu sa nepodarilo narušiť vládu dvoch strán v krajine". Denník N (in Slovak). Tuskova strana Občianska koalícia takisto pohltila stranu Nowoczesna, ktorá ju kedysi chcela nahradiť. Od roku 2005 Poľsko funguje v systéme, v ktorom sa moc strieda medzi dvoma hlavnými stredopravými stranami – Právom a spravodlivosť (PiS) Jarosława Kaczyńského a Občianskou platformou/Občianskou koalíciou (PO/KO) Donalda Tuska.[Tusk's Civic Coalition party also absorbed the Nowoczesna party, which once wanted to replace it. Since 2005, Poland has operated under a system in which power alternates between two main center-right parties—Jarosław Kaczyński's Law and Justice (PiS) and Donald Tusk's Civic Platform/Civic Coalition (PO/KO).]
Michalak, Witold (27 October 2025). "Polityczny weekend w Wielkopolsce: nowe władze PSL i Nowej Lewicy oraz zmiany w PO i trwała mobilizacja PiS"[Political weekend in Wielkopolska: new leadership for the PSL and New Left, changes in the PO, and continued mobilisation of the PiS]. E-Konin (in Polish). W ten sposób Platforma Obywatelska – działająca od 2001 roku – zmienia oficjalnie szyld na KO. Dla regionu oznacza to konieczność redefinicji relacji politycznych i strukturalnych w centroprawicy/opcji liberalnej.[In this way, the Civic Platform – operating since 2001 – is officially changing its name to KO. For the region, this means the necessity of redefining the political and structural relations in the centre-right/liberal option.]
1 2 Biskup, Bartłomiej (25 October 2025). ""Początek przygotowań do wyborów". Eksperci o konwencji KO". pap.pl (in Polish). Jak dodał, Inicjatywa Polska wnosi do nowej partii „bardziej centrolewicowe skrzydło", co poszerza wachlarz programowy KO.[As he added, Polish Initiative brings "a more centre-left wing" to the party, which expands KO's program range.]
"Tusk refunda su partido y pide unidad ante crisis de Gobierno y la ofensiva conservadora"[Tusk refounds his party and calls for unity in the face of the government crisis and the conservative offensive]. SWI swissinfo (in Spanish). Kraków. 25 October 2025. Otras formaciones menores, como Los Verdes, también integrada en la coalición del Gobierno, declinaron entrar a formar parte de KO, cuya ideología es liberal y conservadora moderada.[Other smaller parties, such as the Greens, also part of the governing coalition, declined to join KO, whose ideology is liberal and moderately conservative.]
Szumski, Charles (17 November 2025). "Polens Regierungschef bestätigt Sabotage bei Explosion auf Ukraine-Transportkorridor"[Polish Prime Minister confirms sabotage in explosion on Ukraine transport corridor]. Euractiv (in German). Der ehemalige Innenminister und heutige Europaabgeordnete der gemäßigt konservativen Bürgerkoalition, Bartłomiej Sienkiewicz, äußerte sich deutlicher.[Bartłomiej Sienkiewicz, former Minister of the Interior and current Member of the European Parliament for the moderate conservative Civic Coalition, expressed himself more clearly.]
↑ "Koniec Platformy Obywatelskiej. Tusk ogłasza nowe otwarcie". Radio Wnet (in Polish). 25 October 2025. Lider partii podkreślał, że nie chodzi o kosmetyczną zmianę szyldu, ale o zjednoczenie sił w obozie centrowo-liberalnym.[The party leader emphasised that this was not a cosmetic change of name, but rather a unification of forces within the centrist-liberal camp.]
↑ Michalak, Witold (27 October 2025). "Polityczny weekend w Wielkopolsce: nowe władze PSL i Nowej Lewicy oraz zmiany w PO i trwała mobilizacja PiS"[Political weekend in Wielkopolska: new leadership for the PSL and New Left, changes in the PO, and continued mobilisation of the PiS]. E-Konin (in Polish). W ten sposób Platforma Obywatelska – działająca od 2001 roku – zmienia oficjalnie szyld na KO. Dla regionu oznacza to konieczność redefinicji relacji politycznych i strukturalnych w centroprawicy/opcji liberalnej.[In this way, the Civic Platform – operating since 2001 – is officially changing its name to KO. For the region, this means the necessity of redefining the political and structural relations in the centre-right/liberal option.]
↑ Sitnicka, Dominika (25 October 2025). "To koniec Platformy Obywatelskiej. Co zmieni oficjalne połączenie się partii Koalicji?". oko.press (in Polish). W KO są politycy należący do skrzydła bardziej liberalnego, jest trochę konserwatystów, ale cały program jest zdecydowanie bardziej nowoczesny, otwarty niż jeszcze kilka lat temu.[The KO includes politicians belonging to the more liberal wing, there are some conservatives, but the entire programme is definitely more modern and open than it was a few years ago.]
↑ Kliszcz, Eric; Anwer, Ammar (25 October 2025). "Tusk-led Civic Platform to merge with two junior partners to boost support". TVP World. The center-right Civic Platform officially unveiled the merger at a party convention on Saturday. Two smaller parties – the centrist Nowoczesna (Modern) party and the progressive Polish Initiative – will dissolve and be absorbed into the structures of Tusk's party.
↑ Thevenin, Elodie (2025). "From Division towards Convergence? Comparing Crises Discourses on Migration in the Polish Parliament". In Jozef Bátora; John Erik Fossum (eds.). Differentiation and Dominance in Europe’s Poly-Crises. New York: Routledge. p.261. doi:10.4324/9781003291190. ISBN978-1-003-29119-0. This is the case of the Civic Coalition, which has members in both the centre-right family (PO, Nowoczesna, and iPL) and in the left (PZ).
↑ "Tusk rozważa wypowiedzenie Europejskiej Konwencji Praw Człowieka"[Tusk is considering withdrawing from the European Convention on Human Rights]. oko.press (in Polish). Warsaw. 26 October 2025. Premier Donald Tusk w rozmowie z brytyjskim dziennikiem mówi, że „surowa i rozszerzająca" interpretacja Europejskiej Konwencji Praw Człowieka utrudnia zarządzanie migracjami. „Jeśli 46 sygnatariuszy Konwencji nie może dojść do porozumienia w sprawie jej reformy, to całkiem rozsądnym rozwiązaniem jest po prostu ją wypowiedzieć[Prime Minister Donald Tusk told a British newspaper that a "strict and expansive" interpretation of the European Convention on Human Rights is hampering migration management. "If the 46 signatories to the Convention cannot agree on its reform, then a perfectly reasonable solution is to simply withdraw from it."]
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