The government of the republic of poland short introduction
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Government and politics
Poland is a parliamentary republic. The chief of state is a president who is elected
by popular vote for a five-year term, and is eligible for a second term. The
president appoints the prime minister and deputy prime ministers, as well as the
cabinet according to the proposals of the prime minister, both typically from the
majority coalition.
The Polish Parliament has two chambers. The lower chamber (Sejm) has 460
members, elected for a four-year term by proportional representation in multiseat constituencies, with a five percent threshold (eight percent for coalitions,
threshold waived for national minorities). The Senate (Senat) has 100 members
elected for a four-year term in 40 multi-seat constituencies under a rare plurality
bloc voting method where several candidates with the highest support are
elected from each electorate. Suffrage is universal to those aged 18 years and
over.
When sitting in joint session, members of the Sejm and Senate form the National
Assembly. The National Assembly is formed on three occasions: Taking the oath of
office by a new president, bringing an indictment against the president, and
declaration of a president's permanent incapacity to exercise their duties due to
the state of their health. Only the first type of sitting has occurred to date.
On the approval of the Senate, the Sejm also appoints the Ombudsman or the
Commissioner for Civil Rights Protection for a five-year term. The Ombudsman
guards the rights and liberties of Polish citizens and residents.
The judicial branch comprises the Supreme Court of Poland, the Supreme
Administrative Court of Poland, the Constitutional Tribunal of Poland, and the
State Tribunal of Poland. Poland has a mixture of continental (Napoleonic) civil
law and holdover communist legal theory, although the latter is gradually being
removed. The Constitutional Tribunal supervises the compliance of statutory law
with the Constitution, and annuls laws which do not comply. Its rulings are final
(since October 1999). Court decisions can be appealed to the European Court of
Human Rights in Strasbourg.
Administrative divisions
Poland's provinces are largely based on the country's historic regions.
Poland is subdivided into 16 administrative regions, known as voivodeships. In
turn, the voivodeships are divided into powiaty, second-level units of
administration, equivalent to a county, district or prefecture in other countries,
and finally communes, gminy.
Foreign relations
Poland has forged ahead on its economic reintegration with the
West. Poland became a full member of NATO in 1999, and of the European Union
in 2004. Poland became an associate member of the European Union (EU) and its
defensive arm, the Western European Union (WEU) in 1994. In 1996 Poland
achieved full OECD membership and submitted preliminary documentation for
full EU membership. Poland joined the European Union in 2004, along with the
other members of the Visegrád group.
(source: newworldencyclopedia.org)
