Government

Poland is governed under the 1997 constitution. The bicameral parliament consists of a 460-seat Sejm (lower house) and a 100-seat Senate (upper house). Members of both bodies are elected for four-year terms. The president is popularly elected for a five-year term and has the power to nominate a member of parliament as prime minister. The cabinet is appointed by the president, on the advice of the prime minister. The main political parties are the Democratic Left Alliance, Civic Platform, Polish Peasants' party, and Self-Defense party.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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