Government (Poland)
===================


     Long-form name:
         Republic of Poland
     Type:
         democratic state
     Capital:
         Warsaw
     Administrative divisions:
         49 provinces (wojewodztwa, singular - wojewodztwo); Biaa Podlaska, Biaystok,
         Bielsko, Bydgoszcz, Chem, Ciechanow, Czestochowa, Elblag, Gdansk, Gorzow,
         Jelenia Gora, Kalisz, Katowice, Kielce, Konin, Koszalin, Krakow, Krosno,
         Legnica, Leszno, odz, omza, Lublin, Nowy Sacz, Olsztyn, Opole, Ostroteka,
         Pia, Piotrkow, Pock, Poznan, Przemysl, Radom, Rzeszow, Siedlce, Sieradz,
         Skierniewice, Supsk, Suwaki, Szczecin, Tarnobrzeg, Tarnow, Torun, Wabrzych,
         Warszawa, Wocawek, Wrocaw, Zamosc, Zielona Gora
     Independence:
         11 November 1918, independent republic proclaimed
     Constitution:
         Communist-imposed Constitution of 22 July 1952; developing a democratic
         Constitution
     Legal system:
         mixture of Continental (Napoleonic) civil law and holdover Communist legal
         theory; changes being gradually introduced as part of broader
         democratization process; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not
         accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
     National holiday:
         Constitution Day, 3 May (1794)
     Executive branch:
         president, prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet)
     Legislative branch:
         bicameral National Assembly (Zgromadzenie Narodowe) consists of an upper
         house or Senate (Senat) and a lower house or Diet (Sejm)
     Judicial branch:
         Supreme Court
     Leaders:
       Chief of State:
         President Lech WALESA (since 22 December 1990)
       Head of Government:
         Prime Minister Hanna SUCHOCKA (since 10 July 1992)
     Political parties and leaders:
       Solidarity Bloc:
         Democratic Union (UD), Tadeusz MAZOWIECKI; Christian-National Union (ZCHN),
         Wieslaw CHRZANOWSKI; Centrum (PC), Jaroslaw KACZYNSKI; Liberal-Democratic
         Congress, Donald TUSK; Peasant Alliance (PL), Gabriel JANOWSKI; Solidarity
         Trade Union (NSZZ), Marian KRZAKLEWSKI; Solidarity Labor (SP), Ryszard
         BUGAJ; Christian-Democratic Party (PCHD), Pawel LACZKOWSKI;
         Democratic-Social Movement (RDS), Zbigniew BUJAK; Kracow Coalition in
         Solidarity with the President, Mieczyslaw GIL; Solidarity 80, Marian JURCZYK
       Non-Communist, Non-Solidarity:
         Confederation for an Independent Poland (KPN), Leszek MOCZULSKI; Beer
         Lovers' Party (PPPP), Janusz REWINSKI; Christian Democrats (CHD), Andrzej
         OWSINSKI; German Minority (MN), Henryk KROL; Western Union (KPN Front),
         Damian JAKUBOWSKI; RealPolitik (UPR), Janusz KORWIN-MIKKE; Democratic Party
         (SD), Antoni MACKIEWICZ
       Communist origin or linked:
         Social Democracy (SDRP, or SLD), Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz; Polish Peasants'
         Party (PSL), Waldermar PAWLAK; Party X, Stanislaw Tyminski
     Suffrage:
         universal at age 18