Aleksander Kwaśniewski was born on 15 November 1954 in Białogard, Poland.
He is a Polish politician and journalist who served as the third President of the Republic of Poland from 23 December 1995 to 23 December 2005.
He is the son of Zdzisław Kwaśniewski, a surgeon, and Aleksandra Kwaśniewska Bałasz, a nurse.
He studied transport economics and foreign trade at the University of Gdańsk from 1973 to 1977 but did not complete his degree.
In 1979 he married lawyer Jolanta Konty, and the couple have one daughter, Aleksandra, born in 1981.
After leaving the presidency he has remained active in public life, international affairs and various advisory and academic roles.
Siblings
Aleksander has one younger sister, Małgorzata Kwaśniewska. She was born approximately two years after him and later became an ophthalmologist.
She settled in Switzerland in the early 1980s, where she has continued her medical career.
Career
Kwaśniewski became active in student politics while at university, serving as chairman of the University Council of the Socialist Union of Polish Students from 1976 to 1977 and holding further leadership positions in the organisation until 1982.
He joined the Polish United Workers’ Party in 1977 and worked as a journalist, becoming editor-in-chief of the student weekly ITD (1981–1984) and later of the daily Sztandar Młodych (1984–1985).
He also co-founded the computer magazine Bajtek.
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In the mid-1980s he entered government service as minister for youth affairs (1985–1987) and chaired the Committee for Youth and Physical Culture (1987–1990).
He served as president of the Polish Olympic Committee from 1988 to 1991.
After the fall of communism he co-founded the Social Democracy of the Republic of Poland in 1990 and became its first chairman.
He helped establish the Democratic Left Alliance and served as a member of the Sejm from 1991 to 1995, chairing the constitutional committee that prepared the 1997 Constitution.
In 1995 he was elected President of Poland, defeating incumbent Lech Wałęsa, and was re-elected in 2000 with a first-round majority.
During his two terms Poland joined NATO in 1999 and the European Union in 2004, adopted a new constitution, and experienced significant economic growth and modernisation.
After leaving office he has continued to engage in international dialogue, European integration advocacy and public commentary.
Accolades
Kwaśniewski is a Knight of the Order of the White Eagle and holds the Grand Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta.
He has received numerous foreign decorations, including high orders from Lithuania, the United Kingdom and many other countries.
For his contributions to sport he was awarded the Gold Olympic Order by the International Olympic Committee in 1998, the Gold Order of Merit of the International Association of Athletics Federations in 1999, and the Order of Merit of the European Olympic Committees in 2000.
Additional honours include the Jan Karski Eagle Award, the Commonwealth Award of Distinguished Service and the Knight of Freedom Award.
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