Competitive Strategies of Political Parties in the Zagłębie Dąbrowskie Region

Purpose: The main aim of the study was to analyze the results of local elections from 1990 to 2018 in the Zagłębie Dąbrowskie region to define the electoral specificity of the region and examine the electoral competition of political parties at the local level. Design/Methodology/Approach: To verify the hypotheses, methods of literature analysis and criticism as well as statistical methods were used. Findings: The analysis of local election results in Zagłębie Dąbrowskie from 2002 to 2018 allows us to conclude about the specific political power layout in this region. Since 2002, the political scene has been changing. Local groupings have gained strength. In cities with county rights (Sosnowiec and Dąbrowa Górnicza), as well as in Będzin and Czeladź, political parties such as the Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) and Civic Platform (PO) have played a significant role. In 2018, the Law and Justice party (PiS) also gained significance. The left-wing party has undoubtedly been successful in the elections to the Będzin County Council for years. Although the results of this party in recent years (in cities with county rights) have not brought victory, compared to the election results in the Silesian Voivodeship and the whole country, it must be stated that the level of support for left-wing parties has remained relatively high in the Zagłębie Dąbrowskie region. The Democratic Left Alliance in Zagłębie Dąbrowskie has consistently achieved good election results, regardless of whether it was the dominant party nationwide, a strong opposition, or even when it was in a marginal crisis. Practical Implications: Zagłębie Dąbrowskie exhibits specific electoral preferences that do not always reflect national trends. For political strategists, this means the need to adapt national electoral strategies to local realities. Political parties must take into account that results in Zagłębie may differ from results in other parts of the Silesian Voivodeship or the country. Originality/Value: There have been no previous studies on political competition in local elections in the Zagłębie Dąbrowskie region.