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Politics

Post-communist republic

Poland has been a democratic republic holding free elections since 1989. Before that it was a communist state and member of the Cold War Eastern Bloc. The prime minister is head of government, and the president is head of state. Currently Poland is in the unusual position of having twin brothers holding the two most powerful positions in the land: Lech Kaczynski is President, while his brother Jaroslaw became Prime Minister in July 2006.

Parliamentary structure

There are two chambers to the Polish parliament, the upper chamber or senate, and the lower chamber – the Sejm. The Sejm has 460 members, elected for a four-year term by proportional representation in multi-seat constituencies. The Senate has 100 members elected for a four-year term in 40 multi-seat constituencies, using a rare plurality bloc voting method where several candidates with the highest support are elected from each electorate. When sitting in joint session, members of the Sejm and Senate form the National Assembly.

The Council of Ministers

The president is elected by popular vote for a five-year term, while the prime minister and deputy prime ministers are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Sejm. The Council of Ministers – the Polish equivalent of the UK cabinet – is responsible to the prime minister and the Sejm. The Council of Ministers is proposed by the prime minister, appointed by the president and approved by the Sejm.

Political parties

There are seven main political parties in the two chambers: Civic Platform, Law and Justice, Self Defence of the Republic of Poland, Social Democracy of Poland, Democratic Left Alliance, the Polish Peasant Party and The League of Polish Families. National service is obligatory: all male citizens have to serve a nine-month spell in the military.

Importance of the constitution

The Polish constitution is the supreme Polish legal document and the basis of the state’s political system. It guarantees respect for civil rights - the personal, political, economic, social and cultural rights and freedoms - regarded as standard for a democratic country. The constitution guarantees equality in the eyes of the law (irrespective of sex, race, religion, profession, origin or education), personal freedom and inviolability, inviolability of the home, freedom of conscience and religion, the right to a fair trial (with presumption of innocence until proved guilty) and legal protection of life.

Poland has been a member of NATO since March 1999.

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