Policy of Poland

Poland is a democratic republic. The Prime Minister is the president of the Council of Ministers. Its government is responsible in front of the Lower House. The President, elected official by the universal direct suffrage for 5 years, is the Head of the State. He names the chief of the government and has a right to veto which can be raised by the Lower House only in the majority qualified of the three fifths . The Parliament is composed of two rooms: the Diet - in Polish Sejm made up of 460 seats and the Senate composed of 100 seats.

Government of the Kiszczak general

After the first free legislative elections in Poland of the June 4th 1989, the constitution of the Diet (Parliament) is the following one:

Communist party (POUP): 173 seats
Group of the catholics pro-Communists (Association social-Christian woman, catholic Association secular PAX, catholic and social Polish Union): 23 seats
Democratic party (SD): 27 seats
Left plain peasants (ZSL): 76 seats
Solidarność: 161 seats

The trade union Solidarność returns in force and becomes the second political clout, but thanks to an alliance POUP + ZSL + SD, the Kiszczak general (communist) is named Prime Minister.

But the August 19th, the two small parts minority, the country party (ZSL) and democratic party (SD), until there with the orders of the communist capacity, decide to join the coalition suggested by Solidarność.

Government of Tadeusz Mazowiecki

President Jaruzelski is thus constrained, the August 19th 1989, to indicate at the post of Prime Minister, the catholic Tadeusz Mazowiecki, member of the direction of Solidarność and close adviser of Lech Wałęsa.

It has been the first noncommunist head of government for 42 years (1947). It is a lawyer and a journalist close to the pope Jean-Paul II. Its principal goals are an immediate opening towards the West and the introduction of capitalism for the small and medium-size companies.

The August 21st, following a long phone interview between Gorbatchev and Rakowski, the chief of the Polish Communist party, POUP takes a certain number of historic decisions:

judgment unanimously by the Polish Diet of the Pact germano-Soviet;
participation of the Communists in the government of catholic the Prime Minister Tadeusz Mazowiecki;
Nomination of the government with the contribution of the 150 votes of the communist members of Parliament;
eulogistic Words pronounced by the Kiszczak general, first outgoing minister and member of the political office of the Polish PC.

The August 24th, the Polish Diet invests officially Tadeusz Mazowiecki like new Prime Minister by 378 votes out of 423 voters, 41 abstentions and 4 votes against. The new Prime Minister is however constrained to leave to the Communists two ministry-keys: interior and Defense. On this subject, Lech Wałęsa declared that “ Solidarność did not wish to reverse the established order ”; the Soviet government guarantor that “ that would not be in the interest of stability in Europe ”. However everyone had with the spirit which 45 years before the Communists already took part in a democratic government, with the two same key positions, that they used to seize the totality of the capacity.

The diet in 1991

In 1991 the distribution of the seats is done as follows (from left to right):

Opposition:

60 for the Alliance of the democratic left
48 for the Party paysant
46 for the Confederation for independent Poland
27 for Solidarność
131 for various or independent

Coalition with the capacity:

37 for the Congress of the liberals
62 for the democratic Union
49 for the catholic Action

The diet in 1993

In 1993 the distribution of the seats is done as follows (from left to right):

Coalition with the capacity:

173 for the Alliance of the democratic left either 21%
128 for the country Party or 15%

Opposition:

42 for the Union of work (center left resulting from Solidarność) either 7%
69 for the democratic Union (center) or 10%
24 for the Confederation for Poland independent or 6%
20 for the Presidential Block of Lech Wałęsa or 5%
4 various or independent

Government of Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz: since November 2005

Detailed article: Polish presidential Election of 2005

The election led to the unexpected victory of the conservative party Droit and justice ( PiS ). Lech Kaczyński became president, and Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz Prime Minister of a minority government. Indeed, alliance in order to form a coalition of center right with the liberals of the PO had failed. The idea then ran of the organization of new elections, in order to leave this dead end, and in particular to be able to vote a budget.

The February 2nd 2006, alliance with two formations of Extrême right-hand side makes it possible this government to obtain a majority. It is of the populist party Autodéfense and the Ligue of the Polish families, left the catholics. This agreement allows the right government and extreme line to obtain a majority at the Parliament.

Because of dissensions with Lech Kaczyński, Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz decides to resign on July 7th, 2006.

In difficulty in the public opinion, the party decides to name the proper twin brother of the president, Jarosław Kaczyński, with the head of the government, which attracted many criticisms abroad, where the " is scoffed; first republic monozygote of the histoire."

The agreement relates to a package of 144 bills of great range. The two formations are violently Eurosceptics, which will influence largely the attitude of Poland within the European Union.

In September 2007, Droit and justice commits itself restoring the capital punishment if it gains the legislative elections of October 2007. He also refused to make take part the country in the European Journée against the capital punishment of October 10th, 2007

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