Poland Political System & Government Explained
Poland is a semi-presidential parliamentary republic. The prime minister leads the government and must command a Sejm majority. The directly elected president has significant reserve powers including legislative veto and control over certain appointments. Poland uses proportional representation for Sejm elections. Donald Tusk became prime minister in December 2023, ending eight years of PiS rule and beginning a process of restoring judicial independence and EU relations.
What stands out
- 189 parties compete for just 2 tracked governing offices.
Election Tracker
All electionsPoland 2023 Parliamentary Election
Polish parliamentary election held October 2023. A record 74% turnout handed victory to the opposition coalition led by Donald Tusk, ending PiS rule.
Poland 2020 Presidential Election
Polish presidential election held June–July 2020. Incumbent Andrzej Duda narrowly defeated Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski in a polarised runoff by a margin of just over 2 percentage points.
Poland 2019 Parliamentary Election
Polish parliamentary election held October 2019. The ruling Law and Justice party won a majority but faced record turnout driven by opposition mobilisation.
