Polish Council of State
Encyclopedia
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...
was introduced by the 1947 Small Constitution. It consisted of the President of the Republic of Poland, the Marshal and Vicemarshals of Constituent Sejm, President of the Supreme Chamber of Control and could consist of other members. The Council of State had the power to approve decree-laws based on powers granted to the Council of Ministers by the Constituent 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 ....
, exercise the supreme control over the local national councils, approve promulgation of laws concerning the budget and military draft, declare a state of emergency and martial law, originate bills and others.
Under the 1952's Constitution of the Polish People's Republic, the Council of State consisted of 15 people: the Chairman, four Deputy Chairmen, the Secretary and nine Members. All were elected 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 ....
from among the deputies during its first session after elections. The Council of State served as a collective head of state, though its chairman was usually called the "president of Poland" in foreign countries. As such, it ratified and renounced international agreements, appointed and recalled the representatives 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...
to other states and to international organizations; it conferred orders and had the power of pardon. Some of its other Constitutional functions were:
- convening and calling elections to the 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 ....
, - issue decrees during the periods between sessions of 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 ....
(the decrees had to be later accepted by the Sejm), - making legislative initiative,
- determining the commentary of the statues.
The Council of State was repealed on July 19, 1989 by a constitutional amendment. Some of its functions were transferred to the newly created office of the President of the Republic of Poland.
Chairmen of the Council of State
- Aleksander ZawadzkiAleksander ZawadzkiAleksander Zawadzki was a Polish Communist political figure and head of state of Poland from 1952 to 1964.A member of the Communist Youth Union, Zawadzki went into exile in the Soviet Union in 1931, after spending six years in prison for "subversive activities." He returned to Poland in 1939, just...
(1952–1964) - Edward OchabEdward OchabEdward Ochab was a Polish Communist politician promoted to the position of the First Secretary of the Communist party in the People's Republic of Poland between 20 March and 21 October 1956, just prior to the Gomułka thaw...
, - Stanisław Kulczyński,
- Oskar R. Lange,
- Bolesław Podedworny (acting) (August 7, 1964 - August 12, 1964)
- Edward OchabEdward OchabEdward Ochab was a Polish Communist politician promoted to the position of the First Secretary of the Communist party in the People's Republic of Poland between 20 March and 21 October 1956, just prior to the Gomułka thaw...
(1964–1968) - Marian SpychalskiMarian SpychalskiMarian "Marek" Spychalski was a Polish architect, military commander, and communist politician.Born to a working-class family in Łódź, he graduated from the Faculty of Architecture at the Warsaw University of Technology in 1931...
(1968–1970) - Józef CyrankiewiczJózef CyrankiewiczJózef Cyrankiewicz was a Polish Socialist, after 1948 Communist political figure. He served as premier of the People's Republic of Poland between 1947 and 1952, and again between 1954 and 1970...
(1970–1972) - Henryk Jabłoński (1972–1985)
- Wojciech JaruzelskiWojciech JaruzelskiWojciech Witold Jaruzelski is a retired Polish military officer and Communist politician. He was the last Communist leader of Poland from 1981 to 1989, Prime Minister from 1981 to 1985 and the country's head of state from 1985 to 1990. He was also the last commander-in-chief of the Polish People's...
(1985–1989)
See also
- List of Deputy Chairmen of the Polish Council of State
- Presidium of the Supreme SovietPresidium of the Supreme SovietThe Presidium of the Supreme Soviet was a Soviet governmental institution – a permanent body of the Supreme Soviets . This body was of the all-Union level , as well as in all Soviet republics and autonomous republics...
of the Soviet Union. a smillar USSR institution