Government
Type: Republic.
Constitution: The constitution now in effect was approved by a national referendum on May 25, 1997. The constitution codifies Poland's democratic norms and establishes checks and balances among the president, prime minister, and parliament. It also enhances several key elements of democracy, including judicial review and the legislative process, while continuing to guarantee the wide range of civil rights, such as the right to free speech, press, and assembly, which Poles have enjoyed since 1989.
Branches: Executive--head of state (president), head of government (prime minister). Legislative--bicameral National Assembly (lower house--Sejm, upper house--Senat). Judicial--Supreme Court, provincial and local courts, constitutional tribunal.
Administrative subdivisions: 16 provinces (voivodships).
Political parties (in parliament): Law and Justice (PiS), Civic Platform (PO), Self-Defense (SO), Democratic Left Alliance (SLD), League of Polish Families (LPR), and the Polish Peasant Party (PSL).
Suffrage: Universal at 18.

POLAND GOVERNMENT AND POLAND POLITICAL CONDITIONS
The current government structure consists of a council of ministers led by a Prime Minister, typically chosen from the majority coalition in the bicameral legislature's lower house (Sejm). The president, elected every five years for no more than two terms, is the head of state and commander-in-chief of the armed forces. The judicial branch plays a minor role in decision-making.

The parliament consists of the 460-member Sejm and the 100-member Senat, or upper house. The new constitution and the reformed administrative division (as of 1999) required a revision of the election ordinance (passed in April 2001). The most important changes were liquidation of a national list (all deputies are elected by voters in electoral districts) and introduction of a new method of calculating seats (the modified St. Lague method replaced the d'Hondt method, thus eliminating the premium for the top parties). The law stipulated that with the exception of guaranteed seats for small ethnic parties, only parties receiving at least 5% of the total vote could enter parliament.

Parties represented in the newly elected Sejm are Law and Justice (PiS), Civic Platform (PO), Self-Defense (SO), Democratic Left Alliance (SLD), the League of Polish Families (LPR), and the Polish Peasant Party (PSL).

Principal Government Officials
President--Lech Kaczynski (PiS)
Prime Minister--Jaroslaw Kaczynski (PiS)
Deputy Prime Minister--Przemyslaw Gosiewski (PiS)
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance--Zyta Gilowska (PO)
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development--Wojciech Mojzesowicz
Minister of Transport--Jerzy Polaczek
Minister of Health--Zbigniew Religa
Minister of Science and Higher Education--Micha³ Seweryñski
Minister of Interior and Administration--W³adys³aw Stasiak
Minister of National Defence--Aleksander Szczyg³o
Minister of Environment--Jan Szyszko
Minister of Culture and National Heritage--Kazimierz Micha³ Ujazdowski
Minister, Member of the Council of Ministers--Zbigniew Wassermann
Minister of Economy--Piotr Grzegorz WoŸniak
Minister of Justice--Zbigniew Ziobro
Minister of Construction--Miros³aw Barszcz
Minister, Member of the Council of Ministers, Head of the Chancellery of the Prime Minister--Mariusz B³aszczak
Minister of Foreign Affairs--Anna Fotyga
Minister of Regional Development--Gra¿yna Gêsicka
Minister of Marine Economy--Marek Gróbarczyk
Minister of Sport and Tourism--El¿bieta Jakubiak
Minister of State Treasury--Wojciech Jasiñski
Minister of Labour and Social Policy--Joanna Kluzik-Rostkowska
Minister of National Education--Ryszard Legutko
Coordinator for Special Services--Zbigniew Wassermann (PiS)

Ambassador to the United States--Janusz Reiter
Deputy Chief of Mission--Woijciech Flera 

Poland maintains an embassy in the United States at 2640 16th St. NW, Washington, DC 20009 (tel. 202-234-3800/3801/3802); the consular annex is at 2224 Wyoming Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008 (tel. 202-234-3800). Poland has consulates in Chicago, New York City, and Los Angeles.