POLAND 3 PARLIAMENTS IN THE ERA OF TRANSITION, 1989-1995

Poland's experience in democratic transformation is to some degree dif ferent from that of other post-communist nations because of its having been the first country to depart from a communist regime. It therefor e had a relatively long period of power-sharing, negotiated at the Rou nd Table conference in early 1989. The first parliament (1989-91) refl ected the contractual arrangements of the Round Table and was not full y representative. The second parliament (1991-93) was paralyzed by ext reme fragmentation. The third parliament, elected in 1993, is more con solidated but suffers from the absence of right-wing parties due to th eir failure to reach the required electoral threshold. During Lech Wal esa's presidency (1990-95), relations between the president and parlia ment were tense, particularly after the left's victory in the 1993 ele ction. Nonetheless, parliamentarism has survived in Poland and the dem ocratic system has avoided constitutional crises. Poland's experience confirms the superiority of parliamentarism over presidentialism in ne w democracies.