Left Together

Razem was founded as a response to the unsuccessful attempt to create a left-wing political platform in Poland during the 2015 presidential election.[8] Another reason was dissatisfaction with the role of the post-communist Democratic Left Alliance as the main centre-left party.[9] Many founders were previously activists in the Young Socialists, The Greens or local initiatives, including Kraków Against Games.[10]

Razem's main political stances were formulated during the founding congress on 16–17 May 2015, when Razem's first National Board was elected, consisting of Jakub Baran, Aleksandra Cacha, Alicja Czubek, Maciej Konieczny, Magdalena Malińska, Mateusz Mirys, Katarzyna Paprota, Adrian Zandberg, and Marcelina Zawisza. However, several local structures were active even earlier, in March and April. The party was officially registered on 21 July 2015.

Razem registered lists for the 2015 parliamentary election in all electoral districts and received 3.6% of the vote in the election, below the 5% threshold to gain seats in parliament.[11][12] However, having met the 3% threshold, the party received state subsidy for their election campaign.

In 2016, Razem instigated mass protests (called the Black Protest) against a bill that would impose a complete ban on abortion, proposed by a citizens' initiative.[13][14][15] In 2016, Foreign Policy magazine included Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk of the Razem National Board, together with Barbara Nowacka of Polish Initiative (Inicjatywa Polska), in its annual list of the 100 most influential global thinkers for their role in organising the protest.[16] In 2018, Forbes magazine included Marcelina Zawisza on its annual European Forbes 30 Under 30 list in the "Law & Policy" category for her role as a co-founder of Razem and one of the organizers of "black protest".[17]

Since 2016, Razem has also been cooperating with the Democracy in Europe Movement 2025 (DiEM25) pan-European movement, founded by Yanis Varoufakis.[18][19] In May 2017, Varoufakis has expressed DiEM25's support for Razem in the 2019 European Parliament election.[20]

On 6 July 2017, Razem organised a protest against Donald Trump's visit to Poland. Protesters were dressed as handmaids from Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale, as a symbol of the stripping down of women's rights both in Poland and the United States.[21]

In September 2017, Razem activists filed a complaint with the National Electoral Commission on behalf of the party, alleging that the Alliance of European Conservatives and Reformists had helped to fund a Law and Justice conference during the 2015 parliamentary election campaign in violation of European Parliament rules as well as Polish electoral law.[22] On 29 October, the commission announced that it would investigate the complaint.[23][24]

Razem was reluctant to launch a youth organisation, claiming that the party is already run by relatively young people and does not need a separate entity for teenage activists. Eventually, in May 2019, Razem formed Młodzi Razem (The Together Youth), which recruits supporters between 13 and 25 years of age. The organisation focuses on local activism and minority rights; several of its members are assistants to the party's politicians.

For the 2019 parliamentary election, Razem formed a coalition with the Democratic Left Alliance and Wiosna, known as The Left, winning six seats in the Sejm. Soon after the election results were announced, the National Board voted to oblige the six elected MPs to donate all income surpassing triple the minimum wage to charity;[25] universally lowering politicians' pay to this threshold was one of the early postulates.[26] Since the electoral list was formally registered to SLD, Razem's candidates could not receive funding from their own party. Instead, they made personal donations after having withdrawn "appreciation bonus" from the party's budget. The situation caused uproar and was met with opposition within Razem.[27]

During 2021 and 2022 the party released a podcast. Episodes consisted of interviews, discussions, solo talks, and speeches recorded during the parliamentary sessions. Outside of this, Razem is active on other social media.

In the 2023 election the party continued its engagement in The Left with other centre-left and left-wing parties. The coalition received the nationwide electoral list number 3. Seven members of Razem were elected to Sejm and two successfully ran for Senate seats, with the Senate Pact endorsement.[28]

Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk of the former Razem National Board during the 2016 protests against a total ban on abortion

Left Together is headed by a co-leadership consisting of Adrian Zandberg and Magdalena Biejat.[3] Until November 2022 the party had no singular leadership. Instead, it was governed by five branches:[43]

• Congress — the supreme authority of the party; elects the members of the National Executive Board, Council and Audit Commission, enacts the party program
• National Council — the legislative body
• National Executive Board — the executive body; members of the Board also act as public representatives of the party
• National Audit Commission — the control body
• National Court of Arbitration — the judicial body

This structure is mirrored on the local level, with the District Assemblies, Boards and Councils.

As of January 2021, the Board consists of five people: Anna Górska, Bartosz Grucela, Paulina Matysiak, Maciej Szlinder and Joanna Wicha.

• Category:Left Together politicians