UCLG COUNTRY PROFILES Republic of Poland ( Rzeczpospolita Polska) Capital: Warsaw Inhabitants: 38.500.696 (2007) Area: 312.679 km² 1. Introduction from different political group. The President of the Republic appoints the Prime Minister and the ministers; the Council of Ministers is answerable to the Sejm. After over 40-years of extremely centralised government during the communist period, the local government reform started in 1990 with the first fully democratic elections since before the Second World War to municipal (gmina) local governments taking place in May 1990. The second phase of decentralization Poland, with a population of 38.5 million reform took place in 1998 when two upper (2007) and area of 312,679 km², is the 8th tiers of elected self-governments were largest country in Europe (both in terms of created on a county (powiat) and regional area and population size). (województwo) level. The political system is defined by 1997 However, the gmina tier remains the only Constitution as a republic. The legislative one which is protected by the Polish power is vested in the Sejm (Diet – lower constitution, while the existence and shape chamber) and the Senate. The 460 of upper tiers is dependent on laws members of the Sejm are directly elected adopted by Parliament. The gmina is also according to a proportional system, the only tier enjoying a general whereas the 100 members of the Senate competence clause (although as many are directly elected according to a majority decisions of the Administrative Courts as system, both for a four year mandate. well as of the Constitutional Court suggest, the practical import of the clause is not The executive power is vested in the very significant, since it is often interpreted President of the Republic of Poland and the in a narrow way), while the ultra vires Council of Ministers. The President is doctrine applies both to counties and elected every five years in two-ballot regions. It has been never been formulated voting and there are frequent periods of as official policy, but both analysis of cohabitation between a President and a national policies implemented and surveys Parliament of which the majority originates UNITED CITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS COUNTY PROFILE: POLAND of local politicians suggest that in practice table 1. the rationale for the existence of Polish Sub-national public expenditures in 2006 local governments is seen primarily in accounted 120 bln of Polish zloty (PLN), functional terms. They are treated as i.e.11.3% of GDP and 40% of total budget service delivery units and bodies expenditures. The vast majority of sub- responsible for enhancing economic national spending is at the municipal level, growth, while the community / democratic while district and regional governments dimension (although not unimportant) is have significantly lower budgets (it is seen as somewhat less important. illustrated on figure 1). Local governments are also very important investors, with capital spending equal to 68% of total 2. Territorial organization budget investments (2006). After a period of decline, local government investments There are three tiers of sub-national have been sharply increasing since 2004 administration: 2,478 municipalities (see figure 2), which reflects both (gmina), 315 districts (powiat) (plus 65 economic growth and growing access to cities of a district status) and 16 regions European Union funds for regional (województwo). At both municipal and development. county level, self-government is the only form of public administration. In addition There is a special law on local government to own functions (discussed in the section in Warsaw, the capital city. However, in 5), state functions, such as registration of general terms, the functions and internal births and marriages, are delivered by local structure of Warsaw’s government is governments as delegated functions similar to any other city of county status. financed by specific grants. On a regional Its main specificity is a two-tier structure level there is a dual structure – on the one with a division of Warsaw territory among hand elected self-government, and on the 18 inner districts, each with a directly other – governor (wojewoda) appointed by elected council. However, inner districts the Prime Minister with his/her own are not separate legal entities, and their administrative apparatus. However, autonomy is very low (for example they functions of regional state and self- have no separate budget, but in their government administrations are clearly financial policies are totally dependent on separated and there is no hierarchical decisions made on a city level). subordination between them. The size of local government units is presented in the Table 1. Territorial division of Poland – average sizes and their ranges (2006) Municipalities (+ cities of county status) District level Regional level Number of units 2478 315 + 65 cities of 16 (including 65 cities of powiat status) powiat status Area (sq. km) - Average 125 826 19,543 - minimum 3 13 9,412 - maximum 634 2,975 35,557 Population (tsd) - Average 15.4 100 2,383 - minimum 1.4 21 1,009 - maximum 1,702 1,702 5,172 II UNITED CITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS COUNTY PROFILE: POLAND Local elections are organized Firgure1: Sub-national capital spending in Poland every four years and authorities (constant prices of 2005, in mln of Polish zloty) 25000 of each of three sub-national tiers are elected on the same 20000 day. In case of regions and districts there are councils 15000 elected in the proportional regions system, with 3 to 10 councillors districts 10000 elected in each of wards in case cities of district of districts and from 5 to 15 status 5000 municipalities councillors elected in every ward in case of regions. After popular 0 elections, councils appoint 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 20022003 2004 2005 2006 collective a executive board (zarząd), consisting of 3 to 5 members with the head who is Figure2: Budget expenditures in Poland (2006, mln of Polish zloty) called starosta in districts or 250000 marszałek (marshall) in the case of regions. The board may be 200000 recalled by the council before the end of the term, but there are several restrictions on such 150000 grants for local govts. a voting. Recall of the board capital expenditures requires 3/5 majority and 100000 current expenditures cannot be organized less than six month after the previous 50000 attempt at non-confidence vote. 0 The system of municipal national regions districts cities of municipalities district status elections is more complex. There are two distinct systems to elect the council: majority in local There are no special regulations for governments with less than 20,000 governing metropolitan areas. However, residents (usually with one councillor over the last few years this issue has elected in each of wards) and proportional entered the political agenda and there are in the larger local jurisdictions. Until 2002 lively debates on the shape of a there was a similar (to the region and “metropolitan government law” which may district) system of collective board be adopted in the future. However, so far appointed by the council, but since 2002 there are various concepts competing with there has been a separate direct election of each other and it is too early to say which mayors (who is called wójt in rural local one has the highest probability of being governments, burmistrz in small towns or adopted. prezydent in the big city). If none of candidates obtain more than 50% of valid votes the second ballot is organized (two 3. Local democracy weeks after the first voting) with two candidates, who won the highest numbers 3.1. Local political system of votes in the first round. The mayor has executive function; he/ she appoints his/ III UNITED CITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS COUNTY PROFILE: POLAND her deputies and makes major decisions on correlated with the size of local internal organization of the city hall. But government, but even in big cities it often appointment of the city treasurer requires happens that both the mayor and most of the approval of the council. councillors are formally independent. The role of parties in local politics after 2006 It is possible to recall the council or the elections is illustrated on the figures 3 & 4. mayor (before the regular term) through regional (local) referendum. In order to The Polish party system is very volatile, so organize such a referendum it is necessary even if there are partisan local that at least 10% of eligible voters sign the governments the lists of parties petition (5% of voters in case of regional represented (not even mentioning referendum). Recall of the mayor can be proportion of councillors belonging to also initiated by the local council, but in individual parties) is changing very often. case such a referendum fails, it means early elections of the council itself. The There is a relatively high level of trust local referendum in order to be valid towards local authorities. According to requires a minimal turn-out at the level of public opinion surveys, for many years it more than 2/3 of the last regular elections has been over 50%, and it was much (until 2006 the threshold of validity was higher than the level of trust towards the same for every local government – political institutions of the central level 30% of eligible voters). The referendum cannot be organized Figure 3: Proportion of party candidates less than six months before the among local and regional councillors (2006) regular elections or less than one 100% year after the previous 90% referendum. The number of such 80% attempts to recall the local 70% 60% authorities is gradually growing. In 50% 2002-2006 there were over 92 40% referenda and 12 of them resulted 30% independent candidates in the early termination of local 20% authorities.