Janusz Palikot
Encyclopedia
Janusz Marian Palikot is a Polish
politician, activist and businessman best known for waving around a pistol
and a dildo
at a press conference. Palikot studied philosophy and became wealthy as a businessman who dealt with crates and distilled beverages. He was elected to Sejm on 25 September 2005 in the 6 Lublin district
, running on the Civic Platform
list, and was reelected in 2007.
Palikot left Civic Platform in 2010 and founded Movement of Support, later renamed Palikot's Movement, an anti-clerical
and socially libertarian party, which won 10 percent of the vote in the 2011 parliamentary election
.
" ("Jestem z SLD") on the front and "I am gay" ("Jestem gejem") on the back. He later stated that he wanted to highlight the role PO should play in contemporary politics - as defenders of minorities.
On 24 April 2007, he produced a gun
and a dildo
at a press conference about alleged rape
by a few police officers from Lublin
. Palikot presented the objects as modern "symbols of law and justice" in Poland and the Lublin's police.
On 23 July 2008 Palikot said in an interview "I consider the President to be an oaf" ("Uważam prezydenta za chama"), a potentially illegal act under Poland's anti-defamation laws. An investigation was launched , then dropped.
In October 2008 during a TV interview about the PZPN (Polish Football Association) Palikot produced a butchered pig's head, a Godfather
-style sign of declaring war against what Palikot called "corrupt" PZPN officials.
In January 2009 Palikot caused further controversy when he wrote in his blog questioning whether the Polish President's brother, Jarosław Kaczyński, is gay: "I – unasked – declare unequivocally that I prefer women. And you, Mr Jarosław?" As a result Donald Tusk
, the leader of Palikot's party, the Civic Platform, launched an investigation into his behaviour.
On 5 July 2010, one day after the second round of the 2010 presidential elections Palikot announced that the late president Lech Kaczyński
"has blood on his hands", blaming Kaczyński for the presidential airplane crash
in Smolensk.
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
politician, activist and businessman best known for waving around a pistol
Pistol
When distinguished as a subset of handguns, a pistol is a handgun with a chamber that is integral with the barrel, as opposed to a revolver, wherein the chamber is separate from the barrel as a revolving cylinder. Typically, pistols have an effective range of about 100 feet.-History:The pistol...
and a dildo
Dildo
A dildo is a sex toy, often explicitly phallic in appearance, intended for bodily penetration during masturbation or sex with partners.- Description and uses :...
at a press conference. Palikot studied philosophy and became wealthy as a businessman who dealt with crates and distilled beverages. He was elected to Sejm on 25 September 2005 in the 6 Lublin district
Lublin (parliamentary constituency)
Lublin is a Polish parliamentary constituency in the Lublin Voivodeship. It elects fifteen members of the Sejm and three members of the Senate.The district has the number '6' and is named after the city of Lublin...
, running on the Civic Platform
Civic Platform
Civic Platform , abbreviated to PO, is a centre-right, liberal conservative political party in Poland. It has been the major coalition partner in Poland's government since the 2007 general election, with party leader Donald Tusk as Prime Minister of Poland and Bronisław Komorowski as President...
list, and was reelected in 2007.
Palikot left Civic Platform in 2010 and founded Movement of Support, later renamed Palikot's Movement, an anti-clerical
Anti-clericalism
Anti-clericalism is a historical movement that opposes religious institutional power and influence, real or alleged, in all aspects of public and political life, and the involvement of religion in the everyday life of the citizen...
and socially libertarian party, which won 10 percent of the vote in the 2011 parliamentary election
Polish parliamentary election, 2011
A parliamentary election to both the Senate and the Sejm was held in Poland on 9 October 2011. The previous election, in 2007, resulted in a Civic Platform–Polish People's Party government...
.
Private life
Palikot studied Philosophy at Warsaw University and earned a Masters degree. He is an entrepreneur and former co-owner of Polmos Lublin S.A. and Ambra S.A. He is divorced from his first wife, Maria Nowińska, with whom he has two sons, Emil and Aleksander; he has since married Monika Kubat, with whom he has a son, Franciszek, and a daughter, Zofia.Controversies and publicity
Palikot is known in Poland for being one of the more colourful and controversial politicians, famous for his publicity stunts. In April 2007 during a PO press conference, Palikot wore a t-shirt with "I am with the SLDDemocratic Left Alliance
Democratic Left Alliance is a social-democratic political party in Poland. Formed in 1991 as a coalition of centre-left parties, it was formally established as a single party on 15 April 1999. It is currently the third largest opposition party in Poland....
" ("Jestem z SLD") on the front and "I am gay" ("Jestem gejem") on the back. He later stated that he wanted to highlight the role PO should play in contemporary politics - as defenders of minorities.
On 24 April 2007, he produced a gun
Gun
A gun is a muzzle or breech-loaded projectile-firing weapon. There are various definitions depending on the nation and branch of service. A "gun" may be distinguished from other firearms in being a crew-served weapon such as a howitzer or mortar, as opposed to a small arm like a rifle or pistol,...
and a dildo
Dildo
A dildo is a sex toy, often explicitly phallic in appearance, intended for bodily penetration during masturbation or sex with partners.- Description and uses :...
at a press conference about alleged rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
by a few police officers from Lublin
Lublin
Lublin is the ninth largest city in Poland. It is the capital of Lublin Voivodeship with a population of 350,392 . Lublin is also the largest Polish city east of the Vistula river...
. Palikot presented the objects as modern "symbols of law and justice" in Poland and the Lublin's police.
On 23 July 2008 Palikot said in an interview "I consider the President to be an oaf" ("Uważam prezydenta za chama"), a potentially illegal act under Poland's anti-defamation laws. An investigation was launched , then dropped.
In October 2008 during a TV interview about the PZPN (Polish Football Association) Palikot produced a butchered pig's head, a Godfather
Godfather Trilogy
The Godfather is a crime drama film trilogy directed by Francis Ford Coppola. It is based on the novel by Mario Puzo about the fictional Corleone Mafia family.-Films:* The Godfather * The Godfather Part II...
-style sign of declaring war against what Palikot called "corrupt" PZPN officials.
In January 2009 Palikot caused further controversy when he wrote in his blog questioning whether the Polish President's brother, Jarosław Kaczyński, is gay: "I – unasked – declare unequivocally that I prefer women. And you, Mr Jarosław?" As a result Donald Tusk
Donald Tusk
Donald Franciszek Tusk is a Polish politician who has been Prime Minister of Poland since 2007. He was a co-founder and is chairman of the Civic Platform party....
, the leader of Palikot's party, the Civic Platform, launched an investigation into his behaviour.
On 5 July 2010, one day after the second round of the 2010 presidential elections Palikot announced that the late president Lech Kaczyński
Lech Kaczynski
Lech Aleksander Kaczyński was Polish lawyer and politician who served as the President of Poland from 2005 until 2010 and as Mayor of Warsaw from 2002 until 22 December 2005. Before he became a president, he was also a member of the party Prawo i Sprawiedliwość...
"has blood on his hands", blaming Kaczyński for the presidential airplane crash
2010 Polish Air Force Tu-154 crash
The 2010 Polish Air Force Tu-154 crash occurred on 10 April 2010, when a Tupolev Tu-154M aircraft of the Polish Air Force crashed near the city of Smolensk, Russia, killing all 96 people on board...
in Smolensk.
Publications and books
- Płoną koty w Biłgoraju (autobiography), 2007, ISBN 978-83-7453-699-8
- Janusz Palikot, Krzysztof Obłój, Myśli o nowoczesnym biznesie ,2003, ISBN 83-89405-26-1
- Poletko Pana P., 2008, ISBN 978-83-7453-861-9
- Janusz Palikot, Pop-polityka, 2009, ISBN 978-83-7453-926-5
- Ja Palikot (interview by Cezary Michalski), 2010, ISBN 978-83-7700-001-4
- Kulisy Platformy (interview by Anna Wojciechowska), 2011, ISBN 978-83-7700-026-7
External links
- Janusz Palikot on Facebook
- Palikot's blog - in Polish
- Janusz Palikot - parliamentary page - includes declarations of interest, voting record, and transcripts of speeches - in Polish.