Marshal of the Senate of the Republic of Poland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Marshal of the Senate of the Republic of Poland
Incumbent Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska since 13 November 2023 (2023-11-13)
Appointer	The Senate
Formation	1922
First holder	Wojciech Trąmpczyński

The Marshal of the Senate of the Republic of Poland (Polish: Marszałek Senatu Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej) is a very important leader in the Senate of Poland. Think of the Senate as one part of Poland's parliament, where laws are discussed and voted on. The Marshal is like the main boss or chairperson of the Senate. They make sure meetings run smoothly.

The Marshal is also a high-ranking official in Poland. They are the third most important person in the country, after the President of the Republic of Poland and the Sejm Marshal. The Sejm is the other part of Poland's parliament. If something happens to the President, the Sejm Marshal takes over first. If they can't, then the Senate Marshal steps in as the Acting President of the Republic of Poland. Because of these important roles, people often call the Marshal the "third person in the state." The person who helps the Marshal is called the Deputy Marshal of the Senate of the Republic of Poland.

A close-up of the Marshal's special staff

What the Marshal Does

The Marshal of the Senate has many important jobs. They help the Senate work well and represent it to the public.

• Represents the Senate: The Marshal is the official face of the Senate. They speak for the Senate in Poland and to other countries.
• Leads Senate Meetings: They are in charge of all Senate sessions. They make sure debates follow the rules and everyone gets a chance to speak.
• Heads Important Groups: The Marshal leads special groups within the Senate, like the Senate Presidium. This group helps plan the Senate's work.
• Performs State Duties: Sometimes, the Marshal takes part in important national ceremonies or events.
• Acts as President: As mentioned, if both the President and the Sejm Marshal are unable to do their jobs, the Senate Marshal becomes the Acting President.
• Keeps Order: The Marshal is responsible for keeping peace and order during Senate meetings.

A Look Back in Time

The role of the Marshal of the Senate has a long history in Poland. Marshals existed even in the 19th century, during a time known as the Duchy of Warsaw. Before that, in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, similar duties were carried out by people called the Grand Crown Marshals.

After the German invasion of Poland in 1939, the office of the Marshal of the Senate was stopped. It was not brought back during the time of the People's Republic of Poland.

Marshals Through the Years

Second Republic Marshals

Here are the Marshals who served in the Second Polish Republic:

No	Image	Name	Senate	Period	Party
1		Wojciech Trąmpczyński	I	November 28, 1922 - March 26, 1928
2		Julian Szymański	II	March 27, 1928 – December 8, 1930	Nonpartisan Bloc for Cooperation with the Government
3		Władysław Raczkiewicz	III	December 9, 1930 – October 3, 1935	Nonpartisan Bloc for Cooperation with the Government
4		Aleksander Prystor	IV	October 4, 1935 – November 27, 1938	Nonpartisan Bloc for Cooperation with the Government
5		Bogusław Miedziński	V	November 28, 1938 – November 2, 1939	Camp of National Unity

Modern Poland's Marshals

The office of Marshal of the Senate was brought back in modern Poland, known as the Third Republic. Here are the people who have held this important position:

No		Name		District	Senate	Period	Party
	1	Andrzej Stelmachowski		Białystok	I	November 22, 1989 – November 26, 1991	Obywatelski Klub Parlamentarny
	2	August Chełkowski		Katowice	II	November 26, 1991 – October 15, 1993	Solidarity
	3	Adam Struzik		Płock	III	October 26, 1993 – October 19, 1997	Polish People’s Party
	4	Alicja Grześkowiak		Toruń	IV	October 21, 1997 – October 18, 2001	Solidarity Electoral Action
	5	Longin Pastusiak		24 Gdańsk	V	October 20, 2001 – October 18, 2005	Democratic Left Alliance
	6	Bogdan Borusewicz		65 Gdańsk	VI VII VIII	October 20, 2005 – November 11, 2015	Independent / Civic Platform
	7	Stanisław Karczewski		49 Kozienice	IX	November 12, 2015 – November 11, 2019	Law and Justice
	8	Tomasz Grodzki		97 Szczecin	X	November 12, 2019 – November 12, 2023	Civic Platform
	9	Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska		43 Warszawa	XI	November 13, 2023 – present	Civic Platform