Michalina Porizowska

**Michalina Zofia Porizowska** (13 September 1928 – 22 November 2011) was a Lungarian politician, lawyer, and educator who served as Prime Minister of Lungary from 1986 to 1994, and leader of the Social Democratic Party from 1980 to 1994. She was the first woman to hold both positions, and additionally the first person of immigrant origin. Prior to her career in federal politics, Porizowska was also Mayor of Kolna from 1974 to 1982.

Born in Kędzów, Porizowska and her family immigrated to Lungary as refugees following the 1930 invasion of Zatrania by the Kashan Union, settling in Kolna. She attended school in Kolna, graduating from Kolna Academy of the Sciences in 1947. After graduating, Porizowska graduated from the University of Kolna in 1950, with credentials to work as a primary school teacher. Porizowska taught third grade at a public primary school in Kolna for several years, until reenrolling in the University of Kolna to study law in 1958. She graduated with her law degree in 1961, and subsequently began specializing in bankruptcy law, often taking pro-bono cases to help lower-income and immigrant families. Porizowska left her law career in 1966, in order to enter local politics.

Being dissatisfied with the state of the country, Porizowska applied to stand as a candidate for the Kolna City Council for the Social Democratic Party in the 1966 Kolna state election. She was ultimately elected to the council, where she actively participated in the passing of legislation meant to ease the burden on middle-class families, specifically focusing on taxation and bankruptcy. In the 1974 state election, Porizowska was nominated as the Social Democratic candidate for mayor, ultimately winning the election in a landslide. Porizowska's election as mayor became widespread news throughout the nation, becoming the first woman and first person of immigrant origin to lead any of the states of Lungary. Her tenure as mayor was marked with similar accomplishments as she had in the city council, often advocating for the rights of the middle-classes. In the midst of the ongoing women's rights movement, Porizowska became an icon. In 1976, she was declared the most powerful woman in Lungary by *Orbes Lungary*.

A close ally of Nico Rösch, Porizowska was nominated to serve as Social Democratic party leader following Rösch's resignation in 1980. This made Porizowska the first woman and person of immigrant origin to serve as a party leader, and the first to ever be a major candidate for Prime Minister. Porizowska left her position as mayor and her seat on the city council after being elected to the Chamber of Deputies for Kolna in the 1982 federal election. Taking her platform to federal politics, Porizowska became especially popular amongst women and middle-class voters, and was elected Prime Minister in the 1986 federal election after the Social Democrats took control of parliament. This made Porizowska one of the first women leaders in the world. Porizowska was reelected twice, in the 1990 and 1994 federal elections, despite the Social Democrats facing a minor defeat in the latter. After the 1994 election, Porizowska announced her intent to resign as Prime Minister and party leader, being succeeded by Julian Schachtschneider. She did not stand for election in the 1995 federal snap election, and subsequently retired from politics.

Credited with pushing the Social Democrats back to the left of the political spectrum after several years of rightward movement among all major political parties in Lungary, Porizowska energized women and the middle-class to never before seen levels in politics. A popular political figure, Porizowska left office with approval ratings at 65%, even higher with women and the middle-class, while retrospective analyses of her tenure have been highly positive.

## Early life and family

Porizowska was born on 13 September 1928 in Kędzów to parents Grodzisław Porizowski (1899–1973) and Barbara Porizowska (née *Ptak*; 1902–1993). While living in Zatrania, her father worked in shipping, while her mother was a homemaker. Porizowska was the second of three daughters; her sisters were Ramona (1925–2007) and Urszula (1931–2018). The family was working-class, residing in a modest, two-bedroom home.

Following the 1930 invasion of Zatrania by the Kashan Union, Porizowska and her family fled to neighboring Lungary, settling in Kolna; in Kolna, Porizowska was raised in a three-bedroom apartment in the working-class Freudenbrück neighborhood. After resettling in Lungary, Grodzisław began working as a warehouse laborer, while Barbara found work as a nail technician. After Kashan forces were dispelled from Zatrania in 1935, the family considered returning, but ultimately opted to remain in Lungary.

## Education and early career

Porizowska began her education in 1934, attending a local, public primary school in Kolna. In school, Porizowska was a gifted student, aspiring to become a lawyer or judge, but was frequently taught that careers like those were not meant for women. Instead, Porizowska was encouraged to seek a career in education. After graduating from primary school in 1944, Porizowska enrolled in the Kolna Academy of the Sciences, a selective, public gymnasium, where she was one of only ten girls in her class. In gymnasium, Porizowska was a gifted and popular student, and ultimately graduated in 1947.

After graduating from gymnasium, Porizowska enrolled in the Faculty of Education and Pedagogy at the University of Kolna, graduating with a degree in primary education in 1950. After finishing her university studies, Porizowska first began working as a substitute teacher, until being hired as a third grade teacher at a public primary school in 1952. Porizowska worked at the school for several years, until becoming dissatisfied with her career path. In 1958, she enrolled as a nighttime second degree student in the Faculty of Law at the University of Kolna, receiving her law degree in 1961. After graduating with her law degree, Porizowska left her teaching career to work full-time as a lawyer. Beginning her law career at a small firm, Porizowska began specializing in bankruptcy law, later moving to a larger firm in 1964. She additionally frequently worked pro-bono cases, often assisting lower-income and immigrant families with legal issues, specifically bankruptcy. Porizowska left her law career in 1966, in order to enter politics.

## Political career

### Kolna state politics

Being dissatisfied with the state of the country, Porizowska applied to stand as a candidate for the Kolna City Council for the Social Democratic Party in the 1966 Kolna state election. She was ultimately elected to the council, where she actively participated in the passing of legislation meant to ease the burden on middle-class families, specifically focusing on taxation and bankruptcy. In the 1974 state election, Porizowska was nominated as the Social Democratic candidate for mayor, ultimately winning the election in a landslide. Porizowska's election as mayor became widespread news throughout the nation, becoming the first woman and first person of immigrant origin to lead any of the states of Lungary.

Her tenure as mayor was marked with similar accomplishments as she had in the city council, often advocating for the rights of the middle-classes. In the midst of the ongoing women's rights movement, Porizowska became an icon. In 1976, she was declared the most powerful woman in Lungary by *Orbes Lungary*.

### Social Democratic leader and Prime Minister

A close ally of Nico Rösch, Porizowska was nominated to serve as Social Democratic party leader following Rösch's resignation in 1980. This made Porizowska the first woman and person of immigrant origin to serve as a party leader, and the first to ever be a major candidate for Prime Minister. Porizowska left her position as mayor and her seat on the city council after being elected to the Chamber of Deputies in the 1982 federal election. Taking her platform to federal politics, Porizowska became especially popular amongst women and middle-class voters, and was elected Prime Minister in the 1986 federal election after the Social Democrats took control of parliament. This made Porizowska one of the first women leaders in the world. Porizowska was reelected twice, in the 1990 and 1994 federal elections, despite the Social Democrats facing a minor defeat in the latter. After the 1994 election, Porizowska announced her intent to resign as Prime Minister and party leader, being succeeded by Julian Schachtschneider. She did not stand for election in the 1995 federal snap election, and subsequently retired from politics.

Credited with pushing the Social Democrats back to the left of the political spectrum after several years of rightward movement among all major political parties in Lungary, Porizowska energized women and the middle-class to never before seen levels in politics. A widely popular political figure, Porizowska left office with approval ratings at 65%, even higher with women and the middle-class, while retrospective analyses of her tenure have been highly positive.

## Personal life

### Family and residences

Porizowska began a relationship with Lungarian lawyer Darius Klinzing in 1949, while both were students at the University of Kolna. They became engaged in 1951, and later married the following year. After their marriage, they moved into a small, two-bedroom apartment in the Esschude neighborhood of Kolna, until purchasing a large, four-bedroom home in the Königbeck neighborhood in 1956. Porizowska and Klinzing had three children together: Boris, born  (1953-12-26) 26 December 1953 (age 70), and fraternal twins Thea (1958–2018) and Kamilla, born  (1958-01-22) 22 January 1958 (age 66). Klinzing died after a bout with stomach cancer in 2007, while Thea died after a decade-long struggle with uterine cancer in 2018.

After beginning her political career, Porizowska and her family continued to reside in their Königbeck home. They purchased a second home in Inner Munbach following the expansion of Porizowska's political career in 1980, only using it for visits to the city. With her election to the Chamber of Deputies for Kolna in 1982, Porizowska continued to reside primarily in Kolna, only using her Munbach home for parliamentary business. After being elected Prime Minister in 1986, the family moved from Kolna to the Federal Offices, in the Immenräschen neighborhood of Inner Munbach. They resided there until she left office in 1994, subsequently moving to a larger home in the Gladenfingen neighborhood of Kolna.

### Citizenship and ethnicity

Porizowska was born as a citizen of Zatrania, later naturalizing as a Lungarian citizen along with her parents and sisters in 1938. Due to a then-state law in Kolna barring dual citizens from seeking political office, Porizowska renounced her Zatranian citizenship in 1966. She refiled for citizenship in 1990, and received a Zatranian passport during a state visit to the country.

Porizowska was bilingual, speaking both Zatranian and Lungarian at a native level, while also being fluent in English, and conversational in Draconian and Kashan. Porizowska was particularly well-known for her thick Kolna accent, often using dialectal words and phrases in speeches instead of the standardized terms. This made her especially popular in Northern Lungary. Porizowska was raised as a Eurean Catholic, and identified with the religion until her death.

## Death

Porizowska's health began deteriorating in 2009, following numerous hospitalizations for various falls, and two hospitalizations for pneumonia. She continuously bounced back from injuries and illnesses, until being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in March 2011. Porizowska chose not to publicize her illness, but abruptly stopped making public appearances.

Porizowska's cancer diagnosis went public in October 2011, with the media reporting that her cancer was in a terminal state, and that she had been living in hospice care on borrowed time for two weeks. She later died in hospice care on 22 November 2011, surrounded by her younger sister, three children, seven grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. A private funeral was held for family and friends on 27 November 2011, with a large state funeral being held the following day. Porizowska's state funeral saw thousands of mourners, while many politicians and political analysts commented how Porizowska broke barriers for women throughout the country and the world.