The Council of Ministers () is the central collective body of the executive government of Poland. The cabinet consists of the prime minister (formally titled President of the Council of Ministers), the deputy prime minister(s), and other ministers. The current competences and procedures of the cabinet are described between Articles 146 to 162 of the constitution.
Nomination
The process of forming the Council of Ministers begins with the nomination of the prime minister by the President of Poland. The prime minister will then propose the composition of the cabinet, which must then be approved by the president. Furthermore, the president is forbidden to select a different cabinet composition than the one already selected by the prime minister. Following their nomination, all members of the cabinet take the oath of office within the Column Room of the Presidential Palace, in a ceremony officiated by the president.
Within fourteen days of its appointment, the cabinet, headed by the prime minister, is obligated to submit an agenda to the Sejm together with a vote of confidence. Should the vote of confidence fail, the process of government formation passes to the Sejm, which will then nominate a prime minister within fourteen days, who will then again propose the composition of the cabinet. An absolute majority of votes in the presence of at least half of all Sejm deputies is required to approve of the cabinet, which the president will then accept and administer their oaths of office. Should a vote of confidence fail again, the process of nomination is handed back to the presidency, who must again appoint a prime minister, who will then nominate other members of the cabinet. If the vote of confidence fails a third time, the president is obliged to shorten the Sejm<nowiki/>'s term of office and order new elections. However, since the adoption of the Constitution of 1997, all cabinets have successfully received a vote of confidence for their mandates, and have never required all of the reserve protocols of government formation to take place.
Powers
Composition
thumb|left|290px|The assembled cabinet of Prime Minister [[Marek Belka (middle row, second from left) with President Aleksander Kwaśniewski (middle row, third from left) in 2005]]
The Council of Ministers is headed by the prime minister, known also as the Chairman of the Council of Ministers. The prime minister directs the cabinet's activities and acts as its representative. Furthermore, the prime minister ensures the implementation of the cabinet's policies, coordinates and controls the work of his or her ministers, and issues regulations. The prime minister may also be assisted by a deputy prime minister, who acts as a vice-chairman to the cabinet. Both the prime minister and deputy prime minister can discharge the functions of a minister. The constitution does not further describe the deputy prime minister's functions in the government, though the office's tasks are instead dictated by the Prime minister, and it is not considered an autonomous state organ. Ministers may also be selected from outside of the legislature. Two categories of ministers exist. First are the 'department ministers,' who exercise authority and responsibility within the central government's administration, including ministries, subordinate departments and other institutions. The Premier is also empowered to reshuffle or remove members from the cabinet.
The style of the government and the roles of its ministers are not constitutionally mandated, depending instead on the prime minister's personality.
Stature
The constitution entrusts the cabinet to craft and implement the most important regulations and policies of the state. As such, the constitution delegates executive power to the cabinet. Although the constitution does not equate the council of ministers as 'the government,' due to the powers of the prime minister, the competences of other ministers, independent bodies, and the direct representatives of the prime minister and the cabinet (voivodes) to the voivodeships who supervise the regional administrations, the cabinet carries out various governmental features. The cabinet must also respond to interpellations within 21 days of their submission. Despite being responsible to the Sejm, the cabinet is not responsible to the Senat, and does not rely on the upper house's confidence to continue its term of office. If the motion is successful, passed by a majority vote, the president will recall the minister from office. Similarly, if the Council of Ministers loses its majority support within the Sejm, the cabinet can be forced to resign in a constructive vote of no confidence. In such an event, a new prime minister must be simultaneously appointed. In the event of the prime minister's resignation or death, the president can either accept or refuse the cabinet's resignation of office. Following a parliamentary election, the premier must submit the cabinet's resignation in the first sitting of the newly elected Sejm. After its resignation, the cabinet is entrusted to continue administering state functions until the appointment and oaths of office of the new government. Upon a motion by either the president or by 115 deputies, a member of the cabinet can be charged to be brought forth to the State Tribunal, and then require the approval of at least three-fifths of all Sejm deputies to begin the proceedings.
Meetings
290px|thumb|The [[Building of the Chancellery of the Prime Minister in Warsaw]]
The Council of Ministers convenes every Tuesday at the Building of the Chancellery of the Prime Minister. The prime minister may also call special cabinet meetings during extraordinary situations.
Cabinet Council
Additionally, the president is empowered to convene a cabinet council, when the head of state presides over the Council of Ministers. The convening of such a cabinet council is strictly at the president's discretion, who will decide an issue or set of issues important for discussion and deliberation. The president may bring the cabinet's attention to issues of particular importance and ask for information as to the intentions or actions taken by the government.
Current composition
See also
- Ministries of Poland
- Polish governments and their composition
References
- https://bip.kprm.gov.pl/kpr/bip-rady-ministrow/sklad-rady-ministrow/4574,Sklad-Rady-Ministrow.html
Works cited
Other resources
- Constitution of the Republic of Poland (in English)
External links
- The Chancellery of the Prime Minister