Ilustracja przedstawiająca najsłynniejszy plakat wyborczy "Solidarności". Przedstawia szeryfa idącego w kierunku odbiorcy plakatu. Jest to motyw zaczerpnięty z plakatu westernu W samo południe. Za szeryfem napis solidarność. Pod nim napis: W samo południe 4 czerwca 1989. Na plakacie widoczne są dopiski. 1. The first partly free elections Polish general elections that took place in June 1989 were the first partially free elections of Poland after the II World War. They were held in compliance to the rules determined by the opposition and the powers during the Polish Round Table Agreement. Representatives of PZPR the undemocratic government had been guaranteed 65% (299) of the posts in the Sejm, and the remaining seats - 161 - in Sejm and 100 in the newly-founded Senate were to be attained through free elections. 2. The Polish Round Table Agreement The Round Table was held between February and April of 1989 with the aim for political, economic and social reforms. Finally, it led to realising many of them (like first semi-democratic election in Poland) as a resulat of an agreement between country's authorities and the democratic opposition with Lech Wałęsa as a leader. 3. Political campaign It was before the elections of June 1989 that the first real political campaign took place in Poland. The citizens’ committee „Solidarity” was the sign under which all democratic oppositions placed their candidates. It was done to show its unity and teamwork – for each post the opposition placed one common candidate.The main tool used to promote the candidates was the image of Lech Wałęsa whose recognizability i popularity was immense. In order to raise the credibility of the candidates, they were all taken a photo with the leader of Solidarity which was later used as an election poster. Electoral meetings also played a major role, as well as the support of the international artists like the actress Jane Fonda. 4. Elections The elections were held on the 4th of June 1989. The citizens’ committee „Solidarity” was expecting to win a several dozen posts, which would be recognized as a success on its own. The ruling government, confident in itself, was expecting an easy win.The first election results surprised both sides. From the 161 attainable seats in Sejm the oppostion took 160, and in the Senate it was 92 to 100. PZPR and its allies suffered a staggering defeat. The remaining mandates were won during the II turn of the elections. Solidarity attained every available post in Sejm, and 99 in the Senate, giving away one seat to an independent candidate. 5. Victory The landslide victory of the opposition in the elections of June 1989 in Poland has shown to the majority of people that there’s a chance for an actual change in the state. The soverereign goverment created in result of the elections – unprecedented since War – consisted of actual democratic opposition and was an inspiration for other nations which were still in control of the USSR It was a tipping point for the revolutions which took place in the Central and Eastern Europe, Revolutions of 1989, also later known as the “Autumn of Nations”. 6. Success or failure Until this day many argue whether the Polish Round Table Agreement was in fact a success or failture. Part of the 1989 democratic opposition (for instance Fighting Solidarity) had already condemned these actions at that time, being of the opinion that trying to reach a compromise with the communists is wrong because they are responsible for many crimes among which are the ones that took place during the time of the Martial Law.