Poland: Government

Poland is governed under the constitution of 1997. The president, who is the head of state, is popularly elected for a five-year term and is eligible for a second term. The prime minister, who is the head of government, is appointed by the president, as is the cabinet, with the approval of the Sejm. The bicameral National Assembly consists of a 460-seat Sejm (lower house) and a 100-seat Senate (upper house). Members of both bodies are elected for four-year terms. Administratively, Poland is divided into 16 provinces.

Sections in this article:

• Introduction
• Solidarity and a Multiparty State
• Communist and Post-Communist PolandThe Communist Regime
• World War
• The Restoration of a Nation
• Partition and Regeneration
• Class Divisions and Foreign Conflicts
• The Age of Greatness
• Beginnings through the Age of Greatness
• Government
• Economy
• Land and People
• Bibliography

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2024, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

See more Encyclopedia articles on: Polish Political Geography