GOVERNMENT
The current government structure consists of a council of ministers led by a Prime Minister, typically chosen from the majority coalition in the bicameral legislature's lower house (Sejm). The president, elected every five years for no more than two terms, is the head of state and commander-in-chief of the armed forces. The judicial branch plays a minor role in decision-making.
The parliament consists of the 460-member Sejm and the 100-member Senat, or upper house. The new constitution and the reformed administrative division (as of 1999) required a revision of the election ordinance (passed in April 2001). The most important changes were liquidation of a national list (all deputies are elected by voters in electoral districts) and the stipulation of an electoral threshold-- with the exception of guaranteed seats for small ethnic parties, only parties receiving at least 5% of the total vote could enter parliament. In August 2002, the electoral law was amended, reintroducing the d'Hondt method of calculating seats, which provides a premium for the leading parties. This method was applied in the 2005 and 2007 elections.
Parties represented in the Sejm are Civic Platform (PO), Law and Justice (PiS), the Polish People's Party (PSL), the Democratic Left Alliance (SLD), Social Democracy of Poland (SDPL), Poland XXI, and the Democratic Party (PD).
Principal
Government Officials
President--Lech Kaczynski (PiS)
Prime Minister--Donald Tusk (PO)
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Economy--Waldemar Pawlak (PSL)
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Internal Affairs and Administration--Grzegorz Schetyna (PO)
Minister of Foreign Affairs--Radoslaw Sikorski (PO)
Minister of Defense--Bogdan Klich (PO)
Minister of Finance--Jacek Rostowski (non-party)
Minister of Treasury--Aleksander Grad (PO)
Minister of Science and Higher Education--Barbara Kudrycka (PO)
Minister of Education--Katarzyna Hall (PO)
Minister of Agriculture--Marek Sawicki (PSL)
Minister of Environment--Maciej Nowicki (non-party)
Minister of Health--Ewa Kopacz (PO)
Minister of Culture and National Heritage--Bogdan Zdrojewski (PO)
Minister of Infrastructure--Cezary Grabarczyk (PO)
Minister of Justice--Zbigniew Cwiakalski (non-party)
Minister of Labor and Social Policy--Jolanta Fedak (PSL)
Minister of Regional Development--Elzbieta Bienkowska (non-party)
Minister of Sport--Miroslaw Drzewiecki (PO)
Member of the Council of Ministers - Minister without Portfolio--Zbigniew Derdziuk (PO)
Ambassador to the United States--Robert Kupiecki
Deputy Chief of Mission--Wojciech Flera
Poland
maintains an embassy in
the United States at 2640 16th St. NW, Washington, DC 20009 (tel.
202-234-3800/3801/3802); the consular annex is at 2224 Wyoming
Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008 (tel. 202-234-3800). Poland has
consulates in Chicago, New York City, and Los Angeles.
Government Type: Republic
Constitution: The constitution now in effect was approved
by a national referendum on May 25, 1997. The constitution
codifies Poland's democratic norms and establishes checks and
balances among the president, prime minister, and parliament.
It also enhances several key elements of democracy including
judicial review and the legislative process, while continuing
to guarantee the wide range of civil rights, such as the right
to free speech, press, and assembly, which Poles have enjoyed
since 1989.
Branches: Executive--head of state (president), head
of government (prime minister). Legislative--bicameral National
Assembly (lower house--Sejm, upper house--Senate). Judicial--Supreme
Court, provincial and local courts, constitutional tribunal.
Administrative subdivisions: 16 provinces (voivodships).
Political parties (in Parliament): Democratic Left Alliance
(SLD), Citizens Platform (PO), Self-defense (Samoobrona), Law
and Justice (PiS), Polish Peasant Party (PSL), League of Polish
Families (LPR), Union of Labor (UP), Conservative Peasant Alliance
(SKL).
Suffrage: Universal at 18.
Flag: Upper half white; lower red.
