Prime Minister of Poland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids President of the Council of Ministers
State flag of Poland
Logo used by institutions of the Polish Government
Incumbent Donald Tusk since 13 December 2023
Council of Ministers Chancellery of the Prime Minister
Style	Mr Prime Minister (informal) His Excellency (diplomatic)
Member of	European Council
Residence	Hotel "Parkowa", Warsaw (official, rarely occupied)
Seat	Building of the Chancellery of the Prime Minister
Appointer	President or Sejm
Precursor	Prime minister of the Kingdom of Poland
Formation	6 November 1918; 106 years ago (1918-11-06)
First holder	Ignacy Daszyński
Deputy	Deputy Prime Minister
Salary	389,516 Polish zloty/€81,772 annually

The President of the Council of Ministers is the official title for Poland's head of government. Most people simply call this person the prime minister. This important role leads the cabinet, which is like a team of top government officials.

The prime minister's duties and traditions come from when the modern Polish state was created. The Constitution of Poland explains what the job involves. The President chooses the prime minister, who then picks the other members of the cabinet. Within 14 days, the prime minister must present their government's plans to the Sejm (Poland's parliament). The Sejm then votes to show if they trust the new government.

Sometimes, the President and the Prime Minister have had disagreements about their powers. The current prime minister is Donald Tusk from the Civic Platform party. He took office on December 13, 2023. He was also prime minister from 2007 to 2014.

History of the Prime Minister's Role

Early Days: Second Republic

After World War I, Poland became independent. In November 1918, Ignacy Daszyński was named the first prime minister. However, his government didn't last long. Józef Piłsudski, a key leader, then asked Jędrzej Moraczewski to form a government. This government successfully led the Second Polish Republic in its first months.

The cabinet of Prime Minister Leopold Skulski in a meeting in 1920. Early governments in Poland often changed quickly due to political disagreements.

In 1919, Poland adopted its first constitution, called the Small Constitution of 1919. It set up a government with a democratically elected Sejm, a prime minister, and a cabinet. It also gave Piłsudski, as Chief of State, many executive powers. He could choose and organize cabinets with the Sejm's approval.

Later, in 1921, the March Constitution was passed. This new constitution gave most power to the Sejm. The presidency became a mostly symbolic role with little real power. This meant the prime minister and cabinet, in theory, had a lot of power from the Sejm.

However, the early years of the Second Republic were politically unstable. Many governments and prime ministers came and went quickly. Between 1918 and 1926, there were 14 governments and 11 prime ministers. This instability frustrated Piłsudski. In 1926, he led a military takeover called the May Coup. This ended Poland's early experiment with full parliamentary democracy.

After the coup, Piłsudski and his Sanation movement had a lot of control. The prime minister's role became less powerful. By 1935, a new constitution gave the president much more power, making the prime minister a less important figure. This continued until World War II.

Communist Era: People's Republic

During the communist era, known as the Polish People's Republic, the ruling Polish United Workers' Party (PZPR) controlled everything. The prime minister's job still existed, but its power depended more on the individual's standing within the communist party than on the constitution. The prime minister mostly carried out the party's decisions.

In the 1980s, the Solidarity movement led protests against the communist government. This led to talks in 1989, which brought back some powers to the Sejm. It also brought back the Senate and the presidency as official parts of the government.

Modern Poland: Third Republic

Tadeusz Mazowiecki, Poland's first non-communist prime minister, at an exhibition in Warsaw.

After the 1989 elections, the new government led by Tadeusz Mazowiecki had to figure out how to define the prime minister's powers. The early years of the Third Republic saw many unstable governments. The role of the newly recreated presidency was also unclear.

When Lech Wałęsa became president in 1990, there was a struggle between the president and the prime minister over who had more power. Wałęsa wanted more presidential powers, like being able to choose and dismiss the prime minister and cabinet members.

In 1992, the Small Constitution of 1992 was passed. It made some things clearer, giving the president the right to be consulted on ministers for Defence, Foreign Affairs, and Interior. However, disagreements about power continued.

By the mid-1990s, there was a strong push for more constitutional changes. Between 1996 and 1997, new laws were passed that made the prime minister's role stronger. These changes became part of the current 1997 Constitution.

Key changes included:

• The prime minister could now call for a vote of confidence.
• The prime minister had the sole right to choose and change ministers.
• The prime minister alone could decide what each ministry was responsible for.

Many of these new powers for the prime minister came from the presidency losing some of its rights. For example, the president could no longer reject the prime minister's cabinet choices or veto the budget. The Office of the Council of Ministers was also changed into the Chancellery in 1997. This office helps the prime minister manage and coordinate government policies. These reforms made the prime minister the main source of legal authority in the government.

How the Prime Minister is Chosen and What They Do

Appointment Process

Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz (left) being sworn in as Prime Minister by President Aleksander Kwaśniewski (right) in October 2005.

The President of Poland officially nominates the prime minister. However, usually, the president chooses the leader of the party that won the most seats in the recent election. Or, if there's a coalition, they choose the leader of the main party in that group. The president cannot simply fire the prime minister or individual cabinet members whenever they want.

Once chosen, the prime minister suggests who should be in the cabinet. Within 14 days, they must present their government's plans to the Sejm. The Sejm then votes to confirm their trust in the new government.

If the Sejm doesn't approve the government, the Sejm itself gets to nominate a prime minister. If that also fails, the president tries again. If it fails a third time, the president must dissolve the Sejm and call for new elections.

The prime minister and ministers take an oath of office at the Presidential Palace. They promise to be loyal to the constitution and laws of Poland. They also promise that the good of their country and its citizens will always be their most important duty. They can add "So help me God" if they wish.

Role and Powers in the Cabinet

The prime minister represents the entire cabinet. They set the government's agenda, coordinate the work of all ministers, and make sure government policies are put into action. The prime minister is also in charge of all civil servants.

The prime minister is helped by one or more deputy prime ministers. The way the cabinet works depends a lot on the prime minister's personality. A prime minister cannot also be the president or hold other high state offices. The prime minister can also take on the duties of a minister if needed. They can also ask the cabinet to cancel an order from any minister.

The prime minister must answer questions from members of the Sejm during their meetings. They and other ministers must also respond to formal questions from deputies within 21 days.

Most official actions by the president need the prime minister's signature to become valid. This means the prime minister acts as a "gatekeeper" for some presidential actions. It also means the prime minister takes responsibility to the Sejm for the president's actions. This makes the prime minister's role very important. However, the president doesn't need the prime minister's signature for a few specific actions, like appointing judges or granting pardons. The president's biggest power over the prime minister is the right to veto government laws. But the Sejm can overrule this veto with a three-fifths vote.

The prime minister can ask the Sejm for a vote of confidence in their cabinet. If the cabinet loses the support of the Sejm, it can be forced to resign through a special vote called a constructive vote of no confidence. If this happens, a new prime minister must be chosen at the same time. The prime minister must also resign their cabinet when a new parliament is elected, or after a vote of no confidence, or if they resign personally.

The prime minister also appoints a voivode for each of Poland's 16 regions. These voivodes oversee the central government's work in the regions. The Sejm can dissolve a local government if it breaks the constitution or laws, but only if the prime minister asks them to.

In terms of safety and emergencies, the prime minister can ask the president to appoint a military commander during wartime. They can also order a partial or full mobilization if national security is threatened. The prime minister also appoints and dismisses the heads of special services, like the police and intelligence agencies. If there is public disorder, the prime minister can allow special police units to restore order. If that's not enough, they can ask the president to deploy the armed forces.

Relationship with the President

The relationship between the prime minister and the president has changed over time. In the early 1990s, it depended on how each person understood their powers. Since the 1997 Constitution, it often depends on their political views and personalities. Sometimes, disagreements between them have caused political problems.

For example, President Lech Wałęsa and Prime Minister Tadeusz Mazowiecki had a difficult relationship. Wałęsa felt Mazowiecki wasn't tough enough on former communists. This disagreement even split the original Solidarity movement.

Later, President Lech Kaczyński and Prime Minister Donald Tusk also had many disagreements. They were political rivals. Kaczyński wanted less integration with the European Union and was wary of Russia. Tusk wanted stronger EU ties and better relations with Russia. These differences caused constant arguments between 2007 and 2010. Kaczyński often used his veto power against Tusk's government. Tusk even suggested changing the constitution to remove the president's veto power.

More recently, President Andrzej Duda and Prime Minister Ewa Kopacz also had a tense relationship for a short time. However, Duda had a smoother relationship with later conservative prime ministers, Beata Szydło and Mateusz Morawiecki. He rarely used his veto power with them. But relations became tense again when Donald Tusk returned as prime minister under President Duda.

Support Staff and Residence

The Building of the Chancellery of the Prime Minister in Warsaw. This is where the prime minister's main office and staff are located.

The prime minister's main office is called the Chancellery. It's located in Warsaw and is where the cabinet often meets. The Chancellery helps the prime minister manage government policies and provides support staff. It also has other departments that report directly to the prime minister.

The official home for the prime minister is Willa Parkowa in Warsaw. However, some prime ministers, like Donald Tusk, have chosen to live in their own homes elsewhere.

The prime minister receives security from the Government Protection Bureau while in office and for six months after leaving the position.

List of Polish Prime Ministers

Since the Third Republic began, 16 people have served as prime minister. The shortest-serving government was Mateusz Morawiecki's third government, which lasted only 16 days in late 2023. The longest-serving prime minister has been Donald Tusk, who held the position from 2007 to 2014, and again since December 2023.

So far, three women have been prime ministers: Hanna Suchocka, Ewa Kopacz, and Beata Szydło.

      Democratic Union (UD)       Liberal Democratic Congress (KLD)       Centre Agreement (PC)       Polish People's Party (PSL)       Social Democracy (SdRP) / Democratic Left Alliance (SLD)       Solidarity Electoral Action (AWS)       Law and Justice (PiS) / United Right (ZP)       Civic Platform (PO) / Civic Coalition (KO)

See also

In Spanish: Primer ministro de Polonia para niños

• Cabinet of Poland
• Deputy Prime Minister of Poland
• List of Polish monarchs
• President of Poland
• Sejm
• Senat