Sejm

Sejm. It is the lower house of the bicameral Parliament of Poland, with the Senate serving as the upper chamber. Tracing its origins to the late Middle Ages, it is one of the oldest parliamentary institutions in Europe. The modern Sejm, composed of 460 deputies, holds primary legislative power, exercises control over the Council of Ministers, and plays a central role in the political system defined by the Constitution of Poland.

History

The institution's roots lie in the gatherings of nobility known as Sejm walny, which gained significant influence during the Jagiellonian dynasty. The landmark Nihil novi constitution of 1505 established the principle that no new laws could be enacted without the consent of both the monarch and the Sejm, solidifying its power in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. Notable assemblies include the First Sejm of the Second Polish Republic after World War I and the Contract Sejm of 1989, which peacefully ended communist rule. Its continuity was broken by the Partitions of Poland and suppressed during the German occupation of Poland.

Composition and election

The Sejm consists of 460 deputies elected for four-year terms through a system of proportional representation based on multi-member constituencies. Elections are governed by the Polish electoral code, with a threshold of 5% for individual parties and 8% for electoral coalitions, a rule established after the 1991 Polish parliamentary election. National minority committees, such as those representing the German minority in Poland, are exempt from these thresholds. The Państwowa Komisja Wyborcza oversees the electoral process, which was most recently held in the 2023 Polish parliamentary election.

Powers and functions

As the principal legislative body, the Sejm adopts statutes, approves the state budget, and ratifies international treaties like those of the European Union. It exercises parliamentary control, including the ability to pass a motion of no confidence in the Council of Ministers or individual ministers. The Sejm appoints key state officials, such as the President of the Najwyższa Izba Kontroli and members of the Krajowa Rada Sądownictwa. It also grants consent for the President of Poland to declare a state of emergency.

Procedure and workings

Legislative work is organized around sessions and committee meetings. Draft bills can be submitted by deputies, the Senate, the President of Poland, or the Council of Ministers. The legislative process typically involves three readings, with detailed scrutiny conducted by specialized committees like the Administration and Internal Affairs Committee or the Public Finance Committee. The presiding officer is the Marshal of the Sejm, such as Szymon Hołownia, who is elected from among the deputies. The Sejm's deliberations are governed by its Standing Orders.

Political parties and coalitions

The political landscape within the Sejm is defined by competing party blocs. Following the 2023 election, the governing coalition includes the Koalicja Obywatelska, led by Donald Tusk's Civic Platform, the centrist Third Way alliance of Poland 2050 and the Polish People's Party, and The Left. The primary opposition is the national-conservative Law and Justice party, previously led by Jarosław Kaczyński, alongside the right-wing Confederation Liberty and Independence. Historically, other significant formations have included the Sojusz Lewicy Demokratycznej and Komitet Obywatelski "Solidarność".

Notable sessions and legislation

Historically significant sessions include the Great Sejm of 1788–92, which adopted the Constitution of 3 May 1791. The Grodno Sejm of 1793, held under duress from the Russian Empire, ratified the Second Partition of Poland. In the modern era, the Sejm passed transformative laws such as the 1997 Constitution of Poland, the EU accession treaty in 2004, and the controversial judicial reforms pursued by the Law and Justice government after 2015. It also enacted the Act on the Institute of National Remembrance concerning communist-era crimes.