Elżbieta Witek facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Elżbieta Witek
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Official portrait, 2019
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| Marshal of the Sejm | |
| In office 9 August 2019 – 12 November 2023 |
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| President | Andrzej Duda |
| Deputy |
See list
Małgorzata Gosiewska
Ryszard Terlecki Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska Stanisław Tyszka Barbara Dolniak Włodzimierz Czarzasty Piotr Zgorzelski |
| Preceded by | Marek Kuchciński |
| Succeeded by | Szymon Hołownia |
| Minister of the Interior and Administration | |
| In office 4 June 2019 – 9 August 2019 |
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| Prime Minister | Mateusz Morawiecki |
| Preceded by | Joachim Brudziński |
| Succeeded by | Mariusz Kamiński |
| Member of the Sejm | |
| Assumed office 25 September 2005 |
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| Constituency | 1 – Legnica |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 17 December 1957 Jawor, Poland |
| Political party | Law and Justice |
| Spouse | Stanisław Witek (m. 1980; died 2024) |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | University of Wrocław |
| Signature |  |
Elżbieta Barbara Witek (born 17 December 1957) is a Polish politician. She is a member of the Law and Justice party. Before becoming a politician, she worked as a historian and history teacher.
From 2019 to 2023, she served as the Marshal of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland. The Marshal of the Sejm is like the speaker of the parliament. Elżbieta Witek has been a member of the Sejm (the lower house of the Polish parliament) since 2005.
She also held important government roles. From 2015 to 2016, she was a government spokeswoman. She was also a minister in the Council of Ministers and led the Prime Minister's Political Cabinet from 2015 to 2017. In 2019, she was the Minister of the Interior and Administration.
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About Elżbieta Witek
Early Life and Education
Elżbieta Witek was born in Wrocław, Poland, on 17 December 1957. She studied history at the University of Wrocław. In 1980, she earned her master's degree. Later, in 1996, she completed more studies about the European Union.
After finishing university in 1980, she started working as a teacher in Jawor. In 1991, she became the head teacher at a primary school. Later, she led a secondary school complex in Jawor. She also worked as a lay judge for four years. A lay judge is a regular person who helps a judge make decisions in court. From 2004 to 2008, she was the vice-president of a sports club called "Olimpia" in Jawor.
Political Journey
Elżbieta Witek's political journey began in 1980 when she joined "Solidarity". This was a big trade union movement that helped bring about political change in Poland. Because of her activities, she was arrested for three months in 1982. In the early 1990s, she was part of the Citizens' Movement for Democratic Action. She also served on the local council in Jawor from 2002 to 2005.
She first tried to become a member of the Sejm in 2001 but was not elected. However, in 2005, she was successfully elected to the Sejm. She kept her seat in every election after that, including in 2007, 2011, and 2015.
In 2011, she was chosen to be part of the main political committee of the Law and Justice party. In 2015, she became the spokesperson for her party. She was also appointed as a minister in the government. She was in charge of the Prime Minister's political cabinet and was the government's spokesperson until early 2016. She returned to a ministerial role in 2017. In June 2019, she became the Minister of the Interior and Administration.
Becoming Marshal of the Sejm
On 9 August 2019, Elżbieta Witek was elected as the Marshal of the Sejm. This is a very important role, similar to the speaker of a parliament in other countries. She received 245 votes to take on this position.
In the October 2019 elections, she was re-elected as a member of parliament. On 12 November 2019, she was elected Marshal of the Sejm again for the new parliamentary term, getting 314 votes.
Her time as Marshal included some important moments. For example, there was a big discussion and vote about changes to the Polish Broadcasting Act. This law deals with how TV and radio stations operate. Her term as Marshal of the Sejm ended on 12 November 2023.
Political Activity Since 2023
After the 2023 elections, Elżbieta Witek was re-elected as a member of parliament. Her party, Law and Justice, nominated her to be Marshal of the Sejm again. However, another candidate, Szymon Hołownia, was chosen instead. She was also nominated for the position of Deputy Marshal of the Sejm but did not get that role either.
Family Life
Elżbieta Witek's father, Florian, was a baker, and her mother, Eleonora, was a dressmaker. She was married to Stanisław Witek, who was also a historian and history teacher. They were married in 1980, and he passed away in 2024. They had two daughters together: Marta, who was born in 1983 and is a gym teacher, and Gabriela, who was born in 1991 and is a kindergarten teacher.
Awards and Honours
- 2013: Cross of Freedom and Solidarity
- 2022: Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise
See also
- Members of Polish Sejm 2005–2007
