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President of the Republic of Poland
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The President of the Republic of Poland (Polish: Prezydent Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej, shorter form: Prezydent RP) is the Polish Head of State. He or she is directly elected by the people to serve a term of five years. He can be reelected only once. His rights and obligations are determined by the Constitution of the Republic of Poland. In accordance with the current Constitution, the President of the Republic of Poland is the head of state, the supreme representative of Poland and the guarantor of the continuity of government and is prevented from holding office for more than two consecutive terms. This means that the President heads the executive authority, is appointed to represent Polish interests on the international arena, ensures the observance of the Constitution, and is responsible for the security of the state. The President calls elections to the Sejm and Senate. He has a right to dissolve the parliament when it fails to form a Council of Ministers or pass the budget act. He can (with the Senate's consent) call a national referendum in matters important for the state, requiring the decision of all the citizens.
Although in the English language the Polish head of state is commonly referred to as President of Poland, in Poland the President is always referred to as President of the Republic of Poland or Prezydent RP, never President of Poland (Prezydent Polski).
Powers
The President has a free choice in selecting the Prime Minister, yet in practice he usually does not give the task of forming a new government to a politician who does not command a majority in the Sejm.
The President has a right to initiate the legislative process. He also has the opportunity to directly influence it by using his veto to stop a bill; however, his veto can be overruled by a three-fifths majority vote in the presence of at least half of the statutory number of members of the Sejm (230). Before signing a bill into law, the President can also ask the Constitutional Tribunal to verify its compliance with the Constitution, which in practice bears a decisive influence on the legislative process.
In his role as supreme representative of the Polish state, the President ratifies and revokes international agreements, nominates and recalls ambassadors, and accepts the accreditations of representatives of other states. The President also makes decisions on the award of state distinctions and orders. In addition, he has the right of clemency, viz. he can dismiss final court verdicts (in practice, the President consults such decisions with the Minister of Justice).
The President is also the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces; he appoints the Chief of General Staff and the commanders of all the armed forces; in wartime he nominates the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and can order the general mobilization. The President performs his duties with the help of the following offices: the Chancellery of the President, the Office of National Security, and the Body of Advisors to the President.
Acting President of Poland
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Former Presidents
Since former Presidents of Poland are for the most part well-known, public figures (quite often of celebrity status) each of them is entitled to lifetime personal protection (though only within state limits) by Biuro Ochrony Rządu officers, in addition to receiving a substantial pension and being given a private office.
As of 2007 four former Presidents of Poland are alive:
Additional information
Age upon entering office
- Lech Kaczyński - 56 years old
- Aleksander Kwaśniewski - 41 years old (youngest president)
- Lech Wałęsa - 47 years old
- Wojciech Jaruzelski - 66 years old
- Ryszard Kaczorowski - 70 years old
- Kazimierz Sabbat - 73 years old
- Edward Raczyński - 87 years old (oldest at time of entering and leaving)
- Stanisław Ostrowski - 79 years old
- August Zaleski - 63 years old
- Władysław Raczkiewicz - 54 years old
- Bolesław Bierut - 54 years old
- Ignacy Mościcki - 58 years old
- Stanisław Wojciechowski - 53 years old
- Gabriel Narutowicz - 57 years old
Other information
- Four Presidents who died in office
- Gabriel Narutowicz (assassinated)
- Władysław Raczkiewicz (natural causes)
- August Zaleski (natural causes)
- Kazimierz Sabbat (natural causes)
- Four Presidents who resigned from office
- Stanisław Ostrowski
- Ignacy Mościcki (escaped into exile after Germany occupied Poland in September 1939)
- Wojciech Jaruzelski (agreed to shorten his term)
- Ryszard Kaczorowski (resigned after election of Lech Wałęsa, effectively abolishing the Polish government in exile in favour of the new President)
- Three Presidents who were elected by direct vote
- Lech Wałęsa (elected in 1990, not reelected in 1995)
- Aleksander Kwaśniewski (elected in 1995 and reelected in 2000)
- Lech Kaczyński (elected in 2005, incumbent)
- Presidents who were elected by Parliament
- Gabriel Naturowicz
- Stanisław Wojciechowski
- Ignacy Mościcki
- Bolesław Bierut
- Wojciech Jaruzelski
- Presidents who were not formally elected (by Parliament or direct vote), but were appointed (all in the Polish government in exile)
- Władysław Raczkiewicz
- August Zaleski
- Stanisław Ostrowski
- Edward Raczyński
- Kazimierz Sabbat
- Ryszard Kaczorowski
See also
Fictional presidents
- President Julian Szczęsny (played by Andrzej Seweryn) - President in Polish political drama TV series Ekipa. By the end of season one he died after injuries result by shot down his helicopter over Kabul during a visit
- Acting President Jan Matajewicz (played by Marek Frąckowiak) - also in Ekipa, a leader of major right-wing party and close ally to Szczęsny briefly assumed, as Sejm Marshal, presidential duties after his death. He resigned after became a suspect in criminal case
- President Bartosz Czop (played by Andrzej Grabowski) - populist President in 19th meridian (19. południk). Said to be modeled on Andrzej Lepper
- Outgoing President Kazimierz Czechmeszyński (played by Jan Machulski) - also in 19th meridian
External links
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Heads of State of Europe |
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1 Partially or entirely in Asia, depending on the definition of the border between Europe and Asia.
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