Voivodeship sejmik
Encyclopedia
A voivodeship sejmik is a provincial-level elected assembly
for each of the 16 voivodeships
of Poland
. Sejmiks are elected to four-year terms, decided during nationwide local elections
. The size of the legislative assembly varies for each voivodeship depending on the population; in lower populated voivodeships, there are 30 representatives, while in the most populous (Masovian Voivodeship
) there are 51 members. The current assemblies were created during the local government reforms passed by the Sejm
in 1998.
The word sejmik
is a diminutive of sejm
, a historical term for an assembly of nobles, and is now the name of the lower house of the Polish National Assembly
. The word sejmik was consciously chosen by lawmakers in order to eliminate the term rada wojewódzka (voivodeship council), as the definition conjured memories of voivodeship people's councils during the communist People's Republic of Poland
era.
The members of a sejmik elect a chairman and deputy chairmen from among their ranks. These may not sit on the voivodeship's governing zarząd województwa (executive board). The chairman is responsible for organizing the sejmik's business and presiding over debates.
The sejmik can adopt and pass bylaws on matters concerning the voivodeship which are not reserved for the administration of the central government (most of which is managed in the region by the voivode, who is appointed by the prime minister), while the sejmik elects a marszałek województwa (voivodeship marshal), who chairs the provincial executive board; the sejmik obtains the right to hold the marshal and the voivodeship's executive board accountable. In addition, the sejmik can pass laws on voivodeship development strategies and budgets drafted by the executive board.
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
for each of the 16 voivodeships
Voivodeships of Poland
The voivodeship, or province, called in Polish województwo , has been a high-level administrative subdivision of Poland since the 14th century....
of 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...
. Sejmiks are elected to four-year terms, decided during nationwide local elections
Local elections in Poland
- 2002 :SLD-UP - 6644 PSL - 4986 Samoobrona - 1530 LPR - 1065...
. The size of the legislative assembly varies for each voivodeship depending on the population; in lower populated voivodeships, there are 30 representatives, while in the most populous (Masovian Voivodeship
Masovian Voivodeship
-Administrative division:Masovian Voivodeship is divided into 42 counties : 5 city counties and 37 "land counties"...
) there are 51 members. The current assemblies were created during the local government reforms passed by the Sejm
Sejm
The Sejm is the lower house of the Polish parliament. The Sejm is made up of 460 deputies, or Poseł in Polish . It is elected by universal ballot and is presided over by a speaker called the Marshal of the Sejm ....
in 1998.
The word sejmik
Sejmik
A sejmik was a regional assembly in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, and earlier in the Kingdom of Poland. Sejmiks existed until the end of the Commonwealth in 1795 following the partitions of the Commonwealth...
is a diminutive of sejm
Sejm
The Sejm is the lower house of the Polish parliament. The Sejm is made up of 460 deputies, or Poseł in Polish . It is elected by universal ballot and is presided over by a speaker called the Marshal of the Sejm ....
, a historical term for an assembly of nobles, and is now the name of the lower house of the Polish National Assembly
National Assembly of Poland
The National Assembly is the name of both chambers of the Polish parliament, the Sejm and the Senate, when sitting in joint session...
. The word sejmik was consciously chosen by lawmakers in order to eliminate the term rada wojewódzka (voivodeship council), as the definition conjured memories of voivodeship people's councils during the communist People's Republic of Poland
People's Republic of Poland
The People's Republic of Poland was the official name of Poland from 1952 to 1990. Although the Soviet Union took control of the country immediately after the liberation from Nazi Germany in 1944, the name of the state was not changed until eight years later...
era.
The members of a sejmik elect a chairman and deputy chairmen from among their ranks. These may not sit on the voivodeship's governing zarząd województwa (executive board). The chairman is responsible for organizing the sejmik's business and presiding over debates.
The sejmik can adopt and pass bylaws on matters concerning the voivodeship which are not reserved for the administration of the central government (most of which is managed in the region by the voivode, who is appointed by the prime minister), while the sejmik elects a marszałek województwa (voivodeship marshal), who chairs the provincial executive board; the sejmik obtains the right to hold the marshal and the voivodeship's executive board accountable. In addition, the sejmik can pass laws on voivodeship development strategies and budgets drafted by the executive board.
See also
- SejmikSejmikA sejmik was a regional assembly in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, and earlier in the Kingdom of Poland. Sejmiks existed until the end of the Commonwealth in 1795 following the partitions of the Commonwealth...
- SejmSejmThe Sejm is the lower house of the Polish parliament. The Sejm is made up of 460 deputies, or Poseł in Polish . It is elected by universal ballot and is presided over by a speaker called the Marshal of the Sejm ....