The Polish United Workers' Party (PUWP) was the ruling communist party in Poland from 1948 until 1989. It was formed through the merger of the Polish Workers' Party and the Polish Socialist Party, aiming to establish a socialist state aligned with the Soviet Union. The party played a significant role in shaping Poland's political landscape during the Cold War. In the late 1980s, growing public discontent and the rise of the Solidarity movement led to the party's decline. In 1989, the PUWP lost power in partially free elections, marking the end of communist rule in Poland and paving the way for a democratic government.