National Assembly (Poland)

National Assembly
Zgromadzenie Narodowe
Leadership
Marek Kuchciński, PiS
Since 12 November 2015
Marshal of the Senate
Stanisław Karczewski, PiS
Since 12 November 2015
Seats
460 deputies and 100 senators
,560 when sitting in joint session
Meeting place
The Sejm building in Warsaw
National Assembly in session

The National Assembly (Polish: Zgromadzenie Narodowe) is the name of both chambers of the Polish parliament, a lower house, the Sejm of the Republic of Poland and an upper house, the Senate of the Republic of Poland, when sitting in joint session. It is headed by the Marshal of the Sejm (or by the Marshal of the Senate when the former is absent).

Under the 1997 Constitution of Poland the National Assembly has the authority to

The National Assembly is also called in order to

In the years 19221935 and 19891990, it was the National Assembly who elected the President of the Republic of Poland by an absolute majority of votes. In 1935, it was replaced by an Assembly of Electors, which consisted of the Marshal of the Senate (as president of Assembly of Electors), the Marshal of the Sejm, the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice, the General Armed Forces Inspector, 50 electors elected by the Sejm, and 25 electors elected by the Senate. The Senate was abolished in 1946 so in 1947 Bolesław Bierut was elected President only by the Sejm. There were no presidents from 1952 until 1989 when the Senate was restored and the National Assembly elected Wojciech Jaruzelski as President.

Since 1990, the President has been elected by the people. However, the President is still sworn in before the National Assembly, which is also the only organ which can declare the President's permanent incapacity to perform his duties, or bring an indictment against him before State Tribunal.

From 1992 to 1997, the National Assembly drafted and passed a new Constitution, which was approved by a national referendum on 25 May 1997.

Members

References

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