Solidarity leader’s son injured in bike accident

Jaroslaw Walesa, the son of former Polish president Lech Walesa and a member of the European Union parliament, was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident yesterday.

The news agency PAP said the 34-year-old was on his motorcycle when he collided with a 4x4 in Stropkowo, central Poland.

An emergency helicopter flew Mr Walesa to a hospital in Plock, where he was in serious condition with multiple organ injuries.

Mr Walesa is one of eight children of Lech Walesa, the Solidarity founder who led the movement that helped topple communism in Poland in 1989 which earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983.

Mr Walesa belongs to Civic Platform, the pro-market party of prime minister Donald Tusk. He entered politics in 2005 when he was elected to Poland’s parliament.

In 2009, he was elected to the European Parliament.

The fourth-born child, Jaroslaw is the only one to pursue a political career.

He has forged political views that are more liberal than his conservative and deeply Roman Catholic father.