Parliament of Poland

Parliament of Poland
Name	Parliament of Poland
Native name	Parlament Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej
Legislature	National Assembly
House type	Bicameral
Houses	Senate, Sejm
Leader1 type	Marshal of the Senate
Leader1	Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska
Election1	13 November 2023
Leader2 type	Marshal of the Sejm
Leader2	Szymon Hołownia
Election2	13 November 2023
Members	560, 100 Senators, 460 Deputies
House1	Senate
House2	Sejm
Meeting place	Sejm and Senate Complex, Warsaw
Website	https://www.sejm.gov.pl/, https://www.senat.gov.pl/

Parliament of Poland. The national legislature of the Republic of Poland is a bicameral body consisting of the lower house, the Sejm, and the upper house, the Senate. It traces its origins to the Sejm of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, with its modern form established by the Constitution of Poland adopted in 1997. The Parliament convenes in the historic Sejm and Senate Complex in the capital city of Warsaw.

History

The tradition of parliamentary governance in Poland dates back to the Sejm of the Kingdom of Poland and the Sejm of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, with the seminal Nihil novi statute of 1505 formally establishing a powerful noble-dominated legislature. Key historical assemblies include the Great Sejm of 1788–1792, which adopted the Constitution of 3 May 1791, and the Partitions of Poland which suspended its independent operation. The Second Polish Republic restored a bicameral parliament, the Sejm and Senate, though its function was interrupted by World War II and the imposition of the communist Polish People's Republic, during which the Sejm was a rubber-stamp body. The pivotal Polish Round Table Agreement of 1989 led to partially free elections, beginning the transition to a fully democratic legislature, solidified by the Constitution of Poland of 1997.

Composition and structure

The Parliament is composed of two chambers: the Sejm, with 460 deputies, and the Senate, with 100 senators. The presiding officers are the Marshal of the Sejm and the Marshal of the Senate, who manage the proceedings of their respective chambers. Both bodies work through a system of standing committees and select committees to scrutinize legislation. The combined assembly, known as the National Assembly, convenes for special occasions such as the inauguration of the President of Poland or to declare a state of war.

Powers and functions

The Parliament holds central legislative power, enacting laws, adopting the state budget, and ratifying international treaties like those of the European Union. It exercises control over the Council of Ministers, including the power to pass a vote of no confidence. The Sejm also approves the appointment of key officials such as the President of the National Bank of Poland and members of the Constitutional Tribunal. In conjunction with the Senate, it can declare a state of war and oversees the activities of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland.

Elections and term

Members of both chambers are elected for four-year terms. Elections to the Sejm are conducted under a proportional representation system based on multi-member constituencies, with a 5% national threshold for parties. The Senate is elected via a first-past-the-post system across 100 single-member constituencies. Elections are administered by the National Electoral Commission (PKW) and are governed by the Polish electoral code. The term of each chamber can be shortened only by its own dissolution or by a decision of the President of Poland under conditions specified in the constitution.

Current political composition

Following the 2023 Polish parliamentary election, the governing coalition is led by Donald Tusk of the Civic Coalition (KO), in alliance with the Third Way and The Left. The Law and Justice (PiS) party, led by Jarosław Kaczyński, became the largest single opposition party. The Marshal of the Sejm is Szymon Hołownia of the Poland 2050 party, while the Marshal of the Senate is Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska of the Civic Platform.

Notable legislation

Significant laws passed by the Parliament include the 1997 Constitution of Poland, which forms the supreme legal foundation of the state. The Accession Treaty was ratified by the legislature in 2003. Other landmark acts include the lustration law, the Broadcasting Act governing media like Telewizja Polska, and the Holocaust law of 2018 which sparked diplomatic disputes with Israel and the United States. More recently, legislation has addressed support for Ukraine following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Category:National legislatures Category:Government of Poland Category:Bicameral legislatures