Walesa will not run for Polish presidency

Solidarity founder and former Polish President Lech Walesa said he will not run for presidency in the upcoming elections, the Slovakian Sme newspaper reported today.

Walesa was Poland’s first popularly-elected president in 1990-95, after Poland shed communism in 1989, largely thanks to the Solidarity movement.

He told the newspaper he was most likely not running. Previously, the ex-president said he would consider running if there was a strong platform to present to voters.

Presidential elections in Poland, one of the European Union’s 10 newest members, are scheduled for this October.