Lech Kaczynski in 2005 became the nation's third democratically elected president since the fall of communism in 1989, following in the footsteps of the legendary Lech Walesa and Aleksander Kwasniewski.
Lech Kaczynski, the Polish president killed in a plane crash today, was a child star who went on to form a formidable political double act with his identical twin Jaroslaw.
The Kaczynskis' right-wing dramatics -- obstinate, nationalist and often paranoid -- shocked many in Poland and the rest of Europe, but caught a populist wave that propelled them to power.
Kaczynski in 2005 became the nation's third democratically elected president since the fall of communism in 1989, following in the footsteps of the legendary Lech Walesa and Aleksander Kwasniewski.
He had been expected to stand for re-election in a presidential poll due later this year.
Born in Warsaw in 1949, Lech and his elder twin by 45 minutes were inseparable as children. The two played the title roles in a film, "The Little Hoodlums Who Tried to Steal the Moon", when they were 12.
They both studied law at the University of Warsaw, were together in the anti-communist opposition when the Solidarity trade union was born.
Both were close to Solidarity founder Walesa in the 1980s.
Once communism was toppled in Poland in 1989, each was elected senator in the country's first free elections after World War II.
In 2001, the Kaczynskis founded the conservative Catholic Law and Justice (PiS) party, which Jaroslaw leads as Poland's parliamentary opposition having previously served as his brother's prime minister.
"My brother has always pushed me to the fore. He prefers staying behind the front line, from where he can lead our political party," Lech once told AFP in an interview.
Although even close co-workers were known to have difficulty telling them apart, Lech insisted he and Jaroslaw were "not totally identical."
He has based his campaigns, both to become Warsaw mayor in 2002 and the nation's president in 2005, on his record of fighting corruption.
He favoured strong ties with the United States and was an enthusiastic supporter of Washington's plans for a missile defence system on Polish soil, a project vehemently opposed by Russia.
Kaczynski had vowed to protect Poland's best interests while favouring reconciliation with historic foes and neighbours Germany and Russia.
"I want good relations with Moscow but Russia has to recognise that Poland is no longer in its sphere of influence," he has said.
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