Centrolew

Centrolew (Polish for "Center-Left") was a political alliance in interwar Poland. It was formed in 1929 by several center-left and agrarian political parties in opposition to the increasingly authoritarian rule of Marshal Józef Piłsudski and his Sanacja movement.

Key member parties included the Polish Socialist Party (PPS), the Polish Peasant Party "Piast" (PSL "Piast"), and the Polish Peasant Party "Wyzwolenie" (PSL "Wyzwolenie"). Other smaller parties also joined the coalition.

Centrolew aimed to defend parliamentary democracy and civil liberties against the Sanacja's attempts to consolidate power. They organized mass demonstrations and protests, most notably the Civil Disobedience campaign in 1930.

The Sanacja regime responded with repression, arresting many Centrolew leaders and rigging the 1930 parliamentary elections, known as the "Brest election," to secure a majority. Many Centrolew leaders were imprisoned and subjected to show trials.

The alliance gradually weakened after the Brest election due to internal disagreements and the continuing pressure from the Sanacja government. Although the parties continued to exist, the Centrolew coalition as a unified political force effectively dissolved by the mid-1930s. The constituent parties later participated in different opposition initiatives.