, ▁and ▁the ▁leader ▁of ▁Self - Def ence ▁of ▁the ▁Republic ▁of ▁Poland ▁political ▁party . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁the ▁Deput y ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁and ▁Minister ▁of ▁Agricult ure ▁and ▁R ural ▁Development ▁between ▁ 5 ▁May ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁and ▁ 2 2 ▁September ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁and ▁again ▁from ▁ 1 6 ▁October ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁to ▁ 9 ▁July ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁in ▁the ▁cabinet ▁of ▁Jar os ław ▁K ac zy ński . ▁Prior ▁to ▁entering ▁politics ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁professional ▁far mer ▁in ▁the ▁village ▁of ▁Ziel now o , ▁P omer ania . ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁candidate ▁in ▁the ▁Polish ▁president ial ▁election ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 5 , ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁and ▁ 2 0 1 0 . ▁ ▁Early ▁ ▁life ▁Le pper ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁St ow ię c ino , ▁a ▁tiny ▁ham let ▁of ▁roughly ▁ 2 0 0 ▁people . ▁Form er ly ▁a ▁ ▁th riv ing ▁community , ▁it ▁became ▁a ▁place ▁of ▁so cio - c ult ural ▁imp over ishment ▁and ▁economic ▁struggle ▁since ▁Poland ' s ▁transformation ▁into ▁a ▁market - based ▁economy . ▁During ▁this ▁transition ▁period ▁his ▁farm , ▁just ▁like ▁majority ▁of ▁small ▁business es ▁in ▁Poland , ▁found ▁itself ▁on ▁a ▁ver ge ▁of ▁bank rupt cy , ▁but ▁surv ived . ▁▁ ▁A ▁far mer ▁by ▁trade , ▁Le pper ▁completed