President of Poland
The President of Poland ( Prezydent Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej - President of the Republic of Poland) is at the head of the executive. Since August 6, 2010 Bronisław Komorowski is incumbent.
Functions and powers
The powers of the President are defined in the current 1997 Constitution in Chapter 5 ( Articles 126 to 145).
Declaratory of the President of the Polish Republic ( Head of State) and guarantors of state power continuity is explained in Article 126 of the highest state officials. He therefore is responsible for supervising the application of the Constitution, independence and security of the state as well as the inviolability and indivisibility of Staatsteritoriums.
He appoints the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers. He has the right to convene the Cabinet, ie to conduct a meeting of the Council of Ministers.
It represents the country abroad (Art. 133 ). He ratified by signing agreements with other states. In foreign policy, he works together with the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister.
The President is in wartime commander in chief of the Polish armed forces, otherwise, this object is perceived by the representative of Defense (Art. 134-136 ).
Alone, the President is empowered to give the Polish nationality. Similarly, requires a waiver of such approval by the President (Article 137). Furthermore, it is a right of pardon (Art. 139).
Other powers of the President can be seen from the Article 122 in Chapter 4 of the Constitution which deals with the signing procedure of the law ( in the formal sense ). As a rule, the President signed the records drawn up by the parliament within 21 calendar days. According to § § 3 and 4, however, the President is authorized to forward the legislation referred to it to the Constitutional Court to review the constitutionality and refuse to sign any perceived unconstitutionality. Should the President of this right not to use, it is free in accordance with paragraph 5, reject the signature without giving reasons and submit the law to a re made out by the Sejm ( veto ). In this case, it requires a presidential majority of 3 /5 of the members present, to override the veto.
Election of the President and term of office
According to the article 127 of the Constitution, the President is directly elected by the people ( universal, equal, direct and secret ballot ). The choices are all Polish citizens who have completed 35 years on the first election day and have Parliament vote. They must also submit a list of 100,000 declarations of support by voting Polish citizens. The election will take place from 75 to 100 days before the expiration of the term of the incumbent president as a rule. If, at the first election no candidate have the necessary majority of more than 50 % of the votes, a second round is called, which takes place two weeks after the first election day. At that the two candidates are admitted who have received in the first round of voting on most votes ( ballot ). The validity of the election is subject pursuant to Article 129 to review by the Supreme Court, each franchisor citizen is entitled to a claim against the validity.
The presidential term of office is five years. You begin until the filing of the following oath of office opposite the National Assembly:
" Obejmując z Woli Narodu urząd Prezydenta Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej, uroczyście przysięgam, ¿e dochowam wierności postanowieniom Konstytucji, Bede strzegł niezłomnie godności Narodu, Niepodległości i bezpieczeństwa Państwa, a dobro Ojczyzny oraz pomyślność obywateli dla mnie Beda zawsze najwyższym nakazem "
" According to the will of the people I kick the office of President of the Republic of Poland and solemnly swear that I shall abide the provisions of the Constitution faithful to the dignity of the people, the independence and security of the State shall maintain inflexible and that the welfare of the Fatherland and welfare of the citizens always be my highest duty. "
This must be complemented by a Christian religious affirmation:
" Tak mi dopomóż Bóg. "
" So help me God. "
Under the present constitution, this affirmation of Lech Kaczyński and Bronisław Komorowski was applied while Aleksander Kwasniewski has renounced.
A person may be elected more than twice to the office of President.
In case of absence ( death, illness, resignation or removal from office - ) of the President on an interim takes the Marshal of the Sejm ( Parliament President - 2012: Parliament Speaker Ewa Kopacz ) his duties. Within 14 days after a premature Official settlement it must set a date for the election, which is in a period of 60 days after the election assembly. However, if the Marshal of the Sejm also be prevented from attending, the President of the Senate (2012: Bogdan Borusewicz ) the official duties of the president true.
Headquarters, insignia and manners
Official residences of the President are the Presidential Palace and Belvedere Palace in Warsaw. The traditional Highness characters are the White Eagle Order, the Grand Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta, the Official Seal of the President of the Republic of Poland and the flag of the President of the Republic of Poland.
Derived from Article 126 of the Constitution, the President takes precedence in the first place one (before the Marshal of the Sejm, Senate Marshal and Ministers Präses ). The usual salutation is panie Prezydencie (, Mr. President '), a particularly solemn - panie Prezydencie Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej (, President of the Republic of Poland ') - so far only men have exercised the office.