President of Poland Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids President of the Republic of Poland
Presidential pennant
Incumbent Andrzej Duda since 6 August 2015
Executive branch of the Polish Government
Style	Mr. President (informal) His Excellency (diplomatic)
Member of	National Security Council National Development Council
Residence	Presidential Palace (current) Belweder (alternative)
Appointer	Popular vote
Term length	Five years, renewable once
Constituting instrument	Constitution of Poland (1997)
Precursor	Chief of State
Formation	11 December 1922; 102 years ago (1922-12-11) 19 July 1989; 36 years ago (1989-07-19) (current form)
First holder	Gabriel Narutowicz
Deputy	Marshal of the Sejm
Salary	294,000 zł annually

The President of Poland is the head of state for the country of Poland. This means they are the top leader and representative of the nation. Their main jobs and powers are written down in the Constitution of Poland. The president works with the Council of Ministers, led by the prime minister, to run the country.

The president can stop new laws from being passed, which is called a veto. They also represent Poland on the world stage and are the top commander of Poland's Armed Forces.

History of Poland's Presidents
How the President is Chosen
What the President Does
Presidential Homes and Buildings
Who Acts as President if Needed
Former Presidents
See also

History of Poland's Presidents

The first President of Poland was Gabriel Narutowicz. He took office on December 11, 1922. He was chosen by the National Assembly, which includes the Sejm and the Senate. Sadly, Narutowicz was assassinated just five days later, on December 16, 1922.

Before Narutowicz, Józef Piłsudski was known as the "Chief of State." Later, in 1926, Piłsudski led a change in government. He helped elect Ignacy Mościcki as the new president. Mościcki remained president until 1939, when Germany invaded Poland.

After the invasion, Mościcki and his government went into exile. Władysław Raczkiewicz became president while in exile in France, and later in London. Several other presidents followed him in exile, with Ryszard Kaczorowski being the last.

From 1945 to 1989, Poland was under Soviet influence. During this time, the office of president was changed or removed. In 1952, the role of president was replaced by a group leadership called the Council of State.

In 1989, big changes happened in Poland. The presidency was brought back. Wojciech Jaruzelski became president. In 1990, Poland held its first direct presidential election, where people voted directly for their leader. Lech Wałęsa won this election and became president on December 22, 1990. The current Constitution of Poland, passed in 1997, clearly sets out the president's role and powers.

How the President is Chosen

The President of Poland is chosen by the people in a direct election. They serve for five years and can be reelected only once. To win, a candidate must get more than half of all the votes.

If no candidate gets more than half the votes in the first round, a second round of voting takes place. Only the two candidates with the most votes from the first round can participate in this second round.

To become a candidate for president, a person must be a Polish citizen and at least 35 years old on the day of the election. They also need to collect at least 100,000 signatures from registered voters.

What the President Does

The Presidential Palace in Warsaw is where the president officially works.

The president is the main representative of Poland. They make sure the government continues to run smoothly. The president also plays an important role in the country's political system. They have special tools to influence how the government works.

The president chooses the prime minister. However, they usually pick someone who is supported by the political party that has the most seats in the Sejm.

The president can suggest new laws. They can also use their veto power to stop a bill from becoming a law. But, the Sejm can overrule a veto if three-fifths of its members vote to do so. Before signing a bill, the president can also ask the Constitutional Tribunal to check if the bill follows the Constitution. This check has a big impact on new laws.

As Poland's top representative, the president signs international agreements and appoints ambassadors to other countries. They also welcome ambassadors from other nations. The president gives out important awards and honors. They also have the power to pardon people who have been found guilty of crimes, meaning they can change court decisions.

The president is also the commander-in-chief of the armed forces. They appoint the top military leaders. During wartime, they can name the supreme commander of the Armed Forces and order a general mobilization. The president gets help from offices like the Chancellery of the President and the Office of National Security.

Presidential Homes and Buildings

The Belweder Palace is another important official residence for the president.

The Office of the President owns several buildings that the head of state uses. These include official homes, private homes, and places for visiting foreign leaders.

The Presidential Palace in Warsaw is the biggest palace in Warsaw. It has been the official workplace of the President of Poland since 1993. Lech Wałęsa was the first president to move there in 1994.
Belweder, also in Warsaw, was the official home of the president until 1993. Today, it is used for special events and as a place for visiting heads of state and important guests to stay.
The Presidential Castle in Wisła was originally a hunting lodge. It was rebuilt between 1929 and 1931 and used by President Ignacy Mościcki. Since 2002, it has been a property of the president again. It is now a place for recreation and meetings, and also a hotel.
Other properties include the Residence of the President in Lucień, the Manor House in Ciechocinek, and the Presidential Residence "Jurata-Hel" on the Hel Peninsula, which is a retreat by the Baltic Sea.

Who Acts as President if Needed

The Constitution says that the president is an elected position. There isn't a direct line of people who automatically become president if something happens. If the president cannot do their job, the Marshal of the Sejm (the head of the lower house of parliament) takes over as acting president. They can do this for up to 60 days until new elections are held.

For example, on April 10, 2010, Polish President Lech Kaczyński and many other officials died in a plane crash near Smolensk, Russia. After this tragic event, Bronisław Komorowski, who was the Marshal of the Sejm at the time, became the acting president. Later, Komorowski won the presidential election. When he resigned as Marshal of the Sejm, the Marshal of the Senate, Bogdan Borusewicz, briefly became acting president. Then, Grzegorz Schetyna was elected as the new Marshal of the Sejm and served as acting president until Komorowski officially took office on August 6, 2010.

Former Presidents

Former presidents in Poland receive lifetime personal security from the State Protection Service. They also get a pension and a private office. On April 10, 2010, both President Lech Kaczyński and Ryszard Kaczorowski, the last president-in-exile, died in the plane crash while traveling to Russia for a ceremony.

President of Poland facts for kids

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