Politics in Poland

Politics in Poland combines the organization of the state with the processes through which citizens choose representatives and influence public decisions. The official name is Rzeczpospolita Polska, or the Republic of Poland. Government institutions, elected bodies, courts and local authorities each have distinct responsibilities within the constitutional system. Poland's unitary structure means that national law applies throughout the country. Gminas, powiats and voivodeships nevertheless manage many public matters at local or regional level. Understanding a political issue therefore requires identifying which authority has responsibility and whether the decision affects the whole country, a region or a particular municipality. Elections form the main link between citizens and elected representatives. Poland uses different voting systems for the Sejm, Senat, presidency, local councils and the European Parliament. The ballot is personal and secret, and eligible citizens normally vote from the age of 18. Elections do not directly select every public institution: courts and administrative bodies perform different roles within the state. The distinction between state organization and elections helps explain political decisions in Poland. State institutions determine how authority is distributed and exercised, while elections determine who receives a mandate to represent voters in specified bodies. A useful first question is therefore whether an issue concerns the powers of an institution or the process for choosing its representatives.