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Polish Government and Parliament

The Republic of Poland is a democratic state of law, implementing the principles of social justice. Poland’s supreme law is the Constitution which was passed on the 2nd of April 1997 and ratified in a national referendum. The system of government of the Republic of Poland is based on the separation of and balance between the legislative, executive and judicial powers.

The President of Poland is elected through a general election. The President is elected for a period of 5 years and can remain in office for a maximum of two terms. As the representative of the state in foreign affairs, the President may ratify and renounce international agreements. The President has the duty to sign statutes approved by Parliament, but also has the right to veto these acts. Such a veto can be overruled by a 2/3 majority vote in the Sejm. He also has the power to dissolve Parliament when it is incapable of performing the tasks of government or cannot agree to approve a draft of the State Budget. The President appoints the Prime Minister and other cabinet ministers.

Legislative power is vested in a bicameral Parliament. The upper house, the Senate, consists of 100 senators elected by their respective electorates for a 4-year term of office. The Sejm, or the lower house, consists of 460 deputies. They are elected through a general election for a 4-year term of office. The legislative procedure starts with the Sejm. A bill passed by the Sejm is submitted to the Senate, which may approve it, adopt amendments or reject it. However, the Senate’s veto may be overruled by an absolute majority vote in the lower house.

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