Poland. For the first time in a communist country of the Soviet bloc, partially free elections are held, renewing part of the Polish parliament. The Communist Party loses 72 seats, and Solidarity, despite only having a few weeks to organize, wins 161 seats, gaining 35% of the parliament. Solidarity wins all the seats up for grabs in the lower house of the Sejm and all but one in the Senate (that single seat goes to an independent, but not a communist). A landslide.
