German Minority in the Polish Local Elections

Abstract

The presented paper is an analysis of the German minority participation in the Polish local government elections. Ye electoral results have been compiled and discussed together with the activity of the German associations at the local governmental level. Ye German minority is concentrated in the area of the Opole Silesia and is an important political factor in this region. Ye Germans regularly gain many seats in the commune, city and county councils, mostly in rural areas in the Western part of the Opole Voievodeship. They are also important faction in the Opole Regional Assembly. Despite the initial controversies and tensions they proved to be a solid host and an open partner for all political forces on the local political scenes. In broader perspective the participation of the German minority in the Polish local government structures is a natural process of the democratic development which is realized in Poland.