Polish order of precedence
Encyclopedia
There is no official document specifying the order of precedence
in Poland
. In practice, the precedence of officials in Poland is based on an outdated informal instruction dating back to 1992. Polish civil servants responsible for the protocol often need to make ad hoc decisions based on tradition, general rules of etiquette and common sense.
An official order of precedence existed during the Communist era
, but it was rendered obsolete by the transition to democracy that started in 1989. In 1992, a new guideline was prepared by Prime Minister
Hanna Suchocka
, Foreign Minister Krzysztof Skubiszewski
, and Janusz Ziółkowski, the chief of the President's chancellery. The new document, however, was never formally adopted as legally binding. Furthermore, the adoption of the current Constitution of Poland in 1997, the territorial administration reform of 1999, Poland's entry into the European Union
in 2004, and other events have rendered this guideline obsolete as well.
The lack of an official regulation in this matter leaves so much ambiguity that the only office whose position in the order of precedence is generally accepted is that of the President of the Republic
. In everyday usage, the precedence is often based on such criteria as: source of power (elected officials take precedence before appointed ones), position of the given office in the constitution, as well as a person's seniority and salary (better paid officials are assumed to be also more important). Many questions remain unresolved though. The marshals (speakers) of both chambers of parliament are usually considered to take precedence before the prime minister based on their position in the line of presidential succession
. Opponents of this view argue that the prime minister is constitutionally more powerful and therefore should be treated as Poland's second top official. The precedence of individual ministers, as well as chiefs of chancelleries, is uncertain, as is the question of MPs' and senators' precedence before secretaries of State.
The territorial administration reform has raised the question of the whether the voivode, the national government's representative in a voivoideship
(region), takes precedence before the voivoideship marshal, a popularly elected head of a voivoideship, or vice versa. Similarly, with Poland's integration into the European Union
, came the problem of Polish members of the European Parliament's position in the order of precedence. Another bone of contention is the position of ecclesiastical officials vis-à-vis secular ones. Traditionally, Roman Catholic
clergymen are treated with great reverence in Poland and are often assigned very high – even if undue from the protocolar point of view – positions in the order of precedence.
The list below is taken from the official website of Prime Minister's Chancellery. It is based on the unofficial instruction of 1992 with later addition of several new offices created after that date. Offices that no longer exist, but are included in the list, are marked in italics.
Order of precedence
An order of precedence is a sequential hierarchy of nominal importance of items. Most often it is used in the context of people by many organizations and governments...
in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
. In practice, the precedence of officials in Poland is based on an outdated informal instruction dating back to 1992. Polish civil servants responsible for the protocol often need to make ad hoc decisions based on tradition, general rules of etiquette and common sense.
An official order of precedence existed during the Communist era
History of Poland (1945–1989)
The history of Poland from 1945 to 1989 spans the period of Soviet Communist dominance imposed after the end of World War II over the People's Republic of Poland...
, but it was rendered obsolete by the transition to democracy that started in 1989. In 1992, a new guideline was prepared by Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland
The Prime Minister of Poland heads the Polish Council of Ministers and directs their work, supervises territorial self-government within the guidelines and in ways described in the Constitution and other legislation, and acts as the superior for all government administration workers...
Hanna Suchocka
Hanna Suchocka
Hanna Suchocka is a Polish political figure. She served as the prime minister of Poland between 11 July 1992 and 26 October 1993 under the presidency of Lech Wałęsa. She is the first woman to hold this post in Poland and 19th in the world.Suchocka is a specialist in Constitutional Law...
, Foreign Minister Krzysztof Skubiszewski
Krzysztof Skubiszewski
Krzysztof Skubiszewski was a Polish politician, a former Minister of Foreign Affairs and an established scholar in the field of international law.Skubiszewski was born in Poznań...
, and Janusz Ziółkowski, the chief of the President's chancellery. The new document, however, was never formally adopted as legally binding. Furthermore, the adoption of the current Constitution of Poland in 1997, the territorial administration reform of 1999, Poland's entry into the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
in 2004, and other events have rendered this guideline obsolete as well.
The lack of an official regulation in this matter leaves so much ambiguity that the only office whose position in the order of precedence is generally accepted is that of the President of the Republic
President of the Republic of Poland
The President of the Republic of Poland is the Polish head of state. His or her rights and obligations are determined in the Constitution of Poland....
. In everyday usage, the precedence is often based on such criteria as: source of power (elected officials take precedence before appointed ones), position of the given office in the constitution, as well as a person's seniority and salary (better paid officials are assumed to be also more important). Many questions remain unresolved though. The marshals (speakers) of both chambers of parliament are usually considered to take precedence before the prime minister based on their position in the line of presidential succession
Acting President of the Republic of Poland
The Acting President of the Republic of Poland is a temporary post provided for by the Polish Constitution.The constitution states that the President is the Head of state...
. Opponents of this view argue that the prime minister is constitutionally more powerful and therefore should be treated as Poland's second top official. The precedence of individual ministers, as well as chiefs of chancelleries, is uncertain, as is the question of MPs' and senators' precedence before secretaries of State.
The territorial administration reform has raised the question of the whether the voivode, the national government's representative in a voivoideship
Voivodeships of Poland
The voivodeship, or province, called in Polish województwo , has been a high-level administrative subdivision of Poland since the 14th century....
(region), takes precedence before the voivoideship marshal, a popularly elected head of a voivoideship, or vice versa. Similarly, with Poland's integration into the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
, came the problem of Polish members of the European Parliament's position in the order of precedence. Another bone of contention is the position of ecclesiastical officials vis-à-vis secular ones. Traditionally, Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
clergymen are treated with great reverence in Poland and are often assigned very high – even if undue from the protocolar point of view – positions in the order of precedence.
The list below is taken from the official website of Prime Minister's Chancellery. It is based on the unofficial instruction of 1992 with later addition of several new offices created after that date. Offices that no longer exist, but are included in the list, are marked in italics.
| Color key | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Legislative power | Executive power Executive Power Executive Power is Vince Flynn's fifth novel, and the fourth to feature Mitch Rapp, an American agent that works for the CIA as an operative for a covert counter terrorism unit called the "Orion Team."-Plot summary:... |
Judicial power | Other |
| # | English title | Polish title | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | President of the Republic of Poland President of the Republic of Poland The President of the Republic of Poland is the Polish head of state. His or her rights and obligations are determined in the Constitution of Poland.... |
Prezydent Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej | Bronisław Komorowski |
| 2. | Marshal of the Sejm (Speaker of the lower house of parliament) |
Marszałek Sejmu | Ewa Kopacz Ewa Kopacz Ewa Kopacz is the only female and incumbant head of the lower house of parliament in the history of Poland. The Marshal of the Sejm is de facto also the head of the whole of parliament and substitutes the President in case of that office's vacancy... |
| 3. | Marshal of the Senate Marshal of the Senate of the Republic of Poland The Marshal of the Senate of the Republic of Poland is a presiding officer of the Senate of Poland. He or she is also third person according to the Polish order of precedence, after President of the Republic of Poland and Sejm Marshal, and second in line to became Acting President of the Republic... (Speaker of the upper house of parliament) |
Marszałek Senatu | Bogdan Borusewicz Bogdan Borusewicz Bogdan Michał Borusewicz, is the Speaker in the Polish Senate since 20 October 2005. Borusewicz was a democratic opposition activist under the Communist regime, a member of the Polish parliament for three terms and first Senate Speaker to serve two terms in this office.Borusewicz briefly served... |
| 4. | President of the Council of Ministers Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland The Prime Minister of Poland heads the Polish Council of Ministers and directs their work, supervises territorial self-government within the guidelines and in ways described in the Constitution and other legislation, and acts as the superior for all government administration workers... (Prime Minister) |
Prezes Rady Ministrów (Premier) |
Donald Tusk Donald Tusk Donald Franciszek Tusk is a Polish politician who has been Prime Minister of Poland since 2007. He was a co-founder and is chairman of the Civic Platform party.... |
| 5. | Deputy Marshals of the Sejm (Deputy speakers of the lower house of parliament) |
Wicemarszałkowie Sejmu |
|
| 6. | Deputy Marshals of the Senate (Deputy speakers of the upper house of parliament) |
Wicemarszałkowie Senatu |
Jan Wyrowinski Jan Wyrowiński is a Polish politician and Kashubian activist. He was the chairman of Kashubian-Pomeranian Association in the period 1994-1999.-References:... |
| 7. | Deputy Presidents of the Council of Ministers (Deputy prime ministers) |
Wiceprezesi Rady Ministrów (Wicepremierzy) |
Waldemar Pawlak Waldemar Pawlak is a Polish politician. He twice served as Prime Minister of Poland, briefly in 1992 and again from 1993 to 1995. Since November 2007, he has been Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Economy. Pawlak is the only person who held the office of Prime Minister twice during the... (Economy Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Poland Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Poland is a ministry dealing with economy of Republic of Poland.Created in 1997 from reforms and mergers of other ministries, it has gone through several name changes and has recently been downsized, with issues related to work being split to Ministry of... ) |
| 8. | Ministers – members of the presidium of the cabinet | Ministrowie – członkowie prezydium rządu | obsolete |
| 9. | Ministers – members of the Council of Ministers | Ministrowie – członkowie Rady Ministrów |
Minister without Portfolio A minister without portfolio is either a government minister with no specific responsibilities or a minister that does not head a particular ministry... ) Ministry of Health of the Republic of Poland Ministry of Health of the Republic of Poland is one of the Ministries of the Republic of Poland. Its current minister is Ewa Kopacz.-Ministry of Health :* Witold Chodźko * Tomasz Janiszewski... ) Elżbieta Bieńkowska Elżbieta Bieńkowska is a Polish politician. She has served as the Minister of Regional Development in the Cabinet of Donald Tusk since November 2007.-Education:... (Regional Development Ministry of Regional Development of the Republic of Poland The Ministry of Regional Development of the Republic of Poland was created on 31 October 2005, with its functions being devolved from the Ministry of Economy and Labour... ) Ministry of State Treasury of the Republic of Poland Ministry of State Treasury of the Republic of Poland was formed to administer issues related to State Treasury of Poland... ) Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Poland Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Poland is one of the ministries of Poland. Each Minister of Justice since 1990 has been also Attorney General of the Republic of Poland.-Ministers of Justice :-External links:*... ) Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Poland Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Poland was formed in 1973 to administer issues related to environment protection of Poland.The ministry existed under various names since 1972. It has assumed its current name in 1999.... ) Ministry of Labour and Social Policy of the Republic of Poland Ministry of Labour and Social Policy of the Republic of Poland was formed in 2005 to administer issues related to environment protection of Poland.... ) Barbara Kudrycka Barbara Kudrycka is a professor of administrative law and public administration science and a Polish politician who has served as the Minister of Science and Higher Education in the cabinet of Donald Tusk since 2007.... (Science and Higher Education Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Poland The Ministry of Science and Higher Education in Poland was opened on 5 May 2006 by the Minister of Science and Higher Education, in replacement of several parts of the Ministry of Education and Science. The Minister of Science and Higher Education administers governmental activities in science and... ) Joanna Mucha dr Joanna Mucha is a Polish liberal politician, economist, former member of the Polish Sejm, academic teacher, doctor of economics and since 17 November 2011 sports and tourism minister in the government of Donald Tusk. In 2001 she graduated from University of Warsaw.- References :... (Sport and Tourism Ministry of Sport and Tourism of the Republic of Poland Ministry of Sport and Tourism of the Republic of Poland was created on by decision of the Council of Ministers under then-Prime Minister Marek Belka.It was renamed on when tourism was placed under ministry authority.Ministry goals:... ) Jan Vincent-Rostowski Jan Vincent-Rostowski is a Polish and British economist, academic and the current Minister of Finance of the Republic of Poland.-Early life and education:Jan Vincent-Rostowski was born into a Polish exile family in London, England... (Finance) Marek Sawicki Marek Wacław Sawicki is a Polish politician. He was elected to the Sejm on September 25, 2005, receiving 6527 votes in 18 Siedlce district as a candidate on the Polskie Stronnictwo Ludowe list... (Agriculture and Rural Development Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Republic of Poland Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Republic of Poland was formed on October 1999, from transformation of Ministry of Agriculture and Food Economy of Poland; the ministry can trace its history to 1944.... ) Ministry of National Defence of the Republic of Poland Ministry of National Defence is the office of government in Poland under the Minister of Defence. During the Second Polish Republic and World War II it was called the Ministry of Military Affairs... ) Krystyna Szumilas Krystyna Szumilas is a Polish politician. She was elected to Sejm on September 25, 2005 getting 16105 votes in 29 Gliwice district, candidating from Platforma Obywatelska list.She was also a member of Sejm 2001-2005.... (National Education Ministry of National Education of the Republic of Poland Ministry of National Education of Poland was created in 2006. The ministry prerogatives do not include higher education, which falls under Ministry of Science and Higher Education .... ) Bogdan Zdrojewski Bogdan Zdrojewski is a Polish politician who was the first president of Wrocław after the fall of communism in Poland, and held the seat from 1990 to 2001. Afterwards he was a senator and member of the Polish Sejm. Since November 2007, he has been the Minister of Culture and National... (Culture and National Heritage Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of the Republic of Poland Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of the Republic of Poland was formed on 31 October 2005, from transformation of Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Poland.The ministry is concerned with various aspects of Polish culture.... ) |
| 10. | Ministers of State | Ministrowie Stanu | obsolete |
| 11. | President of the Constitutional Tribunal | Prezes Trybunału Konstytucyjnego | Andrzej Rzepliński Andrzej Rzeplinski Andrzej Rzepliński – Polish lawyer, human right expert, member of International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights.Until martial law in Poland was introduced in 1981 he was an apparatchik of Polish United Workers' Party... |
| 12. | First President of the Supreme Court (Chief Justice) |
Pierwszy Prezes Sądu Najwyższego | Stanisław Dąbrowski |
| 13. | President of the Supreme Administrative Court | Prezes Naczelnego Sądu Administracyjnego | Roman Hauser |
| 14. | President of the Supreme Audit Office | Prezes Najwyższej Izby Kontroli | Jacek Jezierski Jacek Jezierski Jacek Jezierski was a Polish writer and businessman, a member of the Polish nobility and a political writer. From 1775 he was the castellan of the town of Łuków. He was also manager of the personal domain of the Primate of Poland, which allowed him to gain a significant fortune... |
| 15. | Commissioner for Civil Rights Protection Polish Ombudsman The Polish Ombudsman is an independent central office of the Republic of Poland. The office was first established on January 1, 1988. Its functioning is regulated by the Constitution and an act of Polish parliament from July 15, 1987... (Ombudsman) |
Rzecznik Praw Obywatelskich | Irena Lipowicz |
| 16. | Presidents and chairpersons of national-level administrative offices and committees | Prezesi i przewodniczący urzędów, komitetów i komisji sprawujących funkcje naczelnych lub centralnych organów administracji państwowej | |
| 17. | Chairpersons of Sejm committees | Przewodniczący komisji sejmowych | |
| 18. | Chairpersons of Senate committees | Przewodniczący komisji senackich | |
| 19. | Members of Sejm | Posłowie na Sejm | |
| 20. | Senators | Senatorowie | |
| 21. | Secretaries of State | Sekretarze Stanu | |
| 22. | Chief of the Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland | Szef Kancelarii Prezydenta Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej | Jacek Michałowski |
| 23. | Chiefs of the Chancelleries of the Sejm and of the Senate | Szefowie Kancelarii Sejmu i Senatu |
|
| 24. | Chief of the Chancellery of the President of the Council of Ministers | Szef Kancelarii Prezesa Rady Ministrów | Tomasz Arabski is already higher in the order of precendence because he is also a member of the Council of Ministers. |
| 25. | Presidents of the Supreme Court | Prezesi Sądu Najwyższego |
|
| 26. | Undersecretaries of State | Podsekretarze Stanu | |
| 27. | Chief of the General Staff General Staff of the Polish Army Sztab Generalny Wojska Polskiego Sztab Generalny Wojska Polskiego Sztab Generalny Wojska Polskiego (Polish General Staff also "General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces"; is Poland's highest unit of military organization... and commanders of the branches of the Armed Forces Polish Armed Forces Siły Zbrojne Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej are the national defense forces of Poland... |
Szef Sztabu Generalnego i dowódcy wojsk |
Polish Land Forces The Polish Land Forces are a branch of Poland's Armed Forces. They currently contain some 65,000 active personnel and form many components of EU and NATO deployments around the world.-History:... ) Polish Air Force The Polish Air Force is the military Air Force wing of the Polish Armed Forces. Until July 2004 it was officially known as Wojska Lotnicze i Obrony Powietrznej... ) Polish Navy The Marynarka Wojenna Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej - MW RP Polish Navy, is the branch of Republic of Poland Armed Forces responsible for naval operations... ) |
| 28. | Polish ambassadors | Polscy ambasadorowie | |
| 29. | Voivodes (Governors) |
Wojewodowie |
Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship -Transportation:Transportation infrastructure is of critical importance to the voivodeship's economy. Kuyavia-Pomerania is a major node point in the Polish transportation system. Railway lines from the South and East pass through Bydgoszcz in order to reach the major ports on the Baltic Sea... ) Greater Poland Voivodeship Wielkopolska Voivodeship , or Greater Poland Voivodeship, is a voivodeship, or province, in west-central Poland. It was created on 1 January 1999 out of the former Poznań, Kalisz, Konin, Piła and Leszno Voivodeships, pursuant to the Polish local government reforms adopted in 1998... ) Lubusz Voivodeship - Administrative division :Lubusz Voivodeship is divided into 14 counties : 2 city counties and 12 land counties. These are further divided into 83 gminas.... ) Lower Silesian Voivodeship Lower Silesian Voivodeship, or Lower Silesia Province , is one of the 16 voivodeships into which Poland is currently divided. It lies in southwestern Poland... ) Subcarpathian Voivodeship Podkarpackie Voivodeship , or Subcarpathian Voivodeship, is a voivodeship, or province, in extreme-southeastern Poland. Its administrative capital and largest city is Rzeszów... ) Masovian Voivodeship -Administrative division:Masovian Voivodeship is divided into 42 counties : 5 city counties and 37 "land counties"... ) Silesian Voivodeship Silesian Voivodeship, or Silesia Province , is a voivodeship, or province, in southern Poland, centering on the historic region known as Upper Silesia... ) Swietokrzyskie Voivodeship Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship, or Świętokrzyskie Province , is one of the 16 voivodeships into which Poland is presently divided. It is situated in central Poland, in the historical province of Lesser Poland, and takes its name from the Świętokrzyskie mountain range... ) Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, or Warmia-Masuria Province , is a voivodeship in northeastern Poland. Its capital and largest city is Olsztyn... ) Lesser Poland Voivodeship Małopolska Voivodeship , or Lesser Poland Voivodeship, is a voivodeship, in southern Poland... ) Lublin Voivodeship - Administrative division :Lublin Voivodeship is divided into 24 counties : 4 city counties and 20 land counties. These are further divided into 213 gminas.... ) Opole Voivodeship - Administrative division :Opole Voivodeship is divided into 12 counties : 1 city county and 11 land counties. These are further divided into 71 gminas.The counties are listed in the following table .- Economy :... ) Pomeranian Voivodeship Pomeranian Voivodeship, or Pomerania Province , is a voivodeship, or province, in north-central Poland. It comprises most of Pomerelia , as well as an area east of the Vistula River... ) West Pomeranian Voivodeship West Pomeranian Voivodeship, , is a voivodeship in northwestern Poland. It borders on Pomeranian Voivodeship to the east, Greater Poland Voivodeship to the southeast, Lubusz Voivodeship to the south, the German federal-state of Mecklenburg-West Pomerania to the west, and the Baltic Sea to the north... ) Podlaskie Voivodeship Podlaskie Voivodeship , is a voivodeship in northeastern Poland. It borders on Masovian Voivodeship to the west, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship to the northwest, Lublin Voivodeship to the south, the Belarusssian Voblasts of Grodno and Brest to the east, the Lithuanian Counties of Alytus and... ) |
| 30. | Deputy presidents and chairpersons of national-level administrative offices and committees | Zastępcy prezesów i przewodniczących urzędów, komitetów i komisji sprawujących funkcje naczelnych lub centralnych organów administracji państwowej | |
| 31. | Directors General | Dyrektorzy generalni | |
| 32. | Directors | Dyrektorzy | |