Brief encounters in Polish free-for-all

The former communists, the heirs to the Solidarity trade union movement, and the Roman Catholic Church remain the three main forces in Polish politics despite the constant appearance of new political parties. Solidarity, transformed into a political machine under new leader Marian Krzaklewski, will provide a strong challenge to Poland's ruling Left Democratic Alliance, the former communists, in elections on Sep. 21, 1997. The new Solidarity, which is fiercely anti-communist and holds highly conservative moral and cultural views, has allied itself with the Catholic Church.