The WSP undergoes major reform | Progress, Now!/Postęp, teraz!Hel,
March 4372Freshly elected leader of the reformed Equality Union Barbara Mikołajczak rallies the supporters in a fiery speech.HEL - After a series of poor electoral performances the Valruzian Progressive Party (WSP) underwent a radical reform during it's most notable party convention in years.
The convention started with an ad memoriam video in memory of the late Józef Czerwiński.
The first and certainly most notable change was the party's name. Previously the party was known as the Walruzyjskie Stronnictwo Postępowe.
The party's National Committee approved the new name "Unia Równości" ("Equality Union"). This decision was made to stress the reformed party's focus on egalitarian policies.
With a new name comes a new logo. For it's new symbol the party chose a purple flower, as seen below.
The Equality Union's logoOne of the most common questions was the one about the new party Chairman/Chairwoman. As some of you may or may not remember former President Magdalena Seyda resigned shortly before the convention.
This meant that party members were faced with electing the new party Chairman/Chairwoman. The contest was close, but after 12 ballots party members elected previously unknown Barbara Mikołajczak.
Mrs. Mikołajczak announced her candidacy shortly before the Convention begun. Despite her lack of notability she managed to gather a group of low-ranking, but very skilled party members who lobbied for her candidacy.
At the same time she was busy talking with higher-ranking, more influencial party leaders. The general division and numerous candidacies helped her gain momentum, before pulling of an incredible upset.
She defeated the former WSP Chairwoman Joanna Hałubska, who herself was pushed to the sidelines by Józef Czerwiński, where she stayed for almost a decade.
Official ResultsAfter the results were announced and Mrs. Hałubińska conceded the race, Barbara Mikołajczak gave her first official speech as the UR leader, which you can read below:
Ladies, Gentlemen, fellow colleagues.
It is with joy and humility that I accept the convention's decision.
It is a tremendous honor and privillege to be able to serve as the Equality Union's Chairwoman.
I would like to than Miss Hałubska as well as my other opponents for their honorable approach to this election.
As the Party's Chairwoman it is my duty to lead the party and choose the course of action.
This is why I want to present to you my plan for the near future.
First of all I would like to thank the Liberal Party and the National Unity for their part co-operation.
Sadly this coalition has hurt the WSP more than it helped it. This is why I as well as the Party's National Committe have decided to end this co-operation.
I hope that we will be able to do so without any bad blood or feuds for the years to come.
The reason for our seperation is the fact that the coalition has pushed us to the right, thus losing the people's confidence.
Maybe in the future the coaliton will once again be viable, but under different terms and circumstances
Now onto my main agenda.
First of all the Union must be active in national politics.
In recent years our party was too passive, which resulted in the rise of radical forces on our side of the political spectrum.
To show our renewed activism we must return to grass-roots politics of the past and be once again active in the Parliament.
We need to fight inequality wherever and whenever we see it. Both at home and abroad.
We need to help the working-class people in our country and protect them from demagogueish propaganda plaguing our country right now, especially under the Eagle Party's leadership.
We also need to aid the poorer countries, as we have done in the past. We need to aid countries such as Kurageri in their endeavours.
Let's fight for justice in Valruzia!
Let's fight for liberty in Valruzia!
But most of all let's fight for equality for each and every Valruzian!
Thank you!