Senate of Poland

The Senate (Senat) is the upper house of the Polish parliament. It consists of 100 senators elected in universal ballot. It is headed by the speaker of Senate (Marsza?ek Senatu).

Related Topics:
Polish - Parliament

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The Senate can be traced back to a council of royal advisors. In the Nobles' Democracy, the Senate was the upper chamber of the Sejm, and consisted of members of the royal cabinet and the royal court, voivods, prefects and castellans (all appointed by the king), as well as Catholic bishops (see Offices in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth#Senatorial Offices for details).

Related Topics:
Nobles' Democracy - Sejm - Voivod - Offices in Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth#Senatorial Offices

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In the so-called Second Polish Republic, senators were elected in universal ballot. After a referendum organized in 1946 by the Communist regime, the Senate was abolished in the post-Second World War People's Republic of Poland. It was only re-established after the fall of Communism in 1989.

Related Topics:
Second Polish Republic - 1946 - Second World War - People's Republic of Poland - Fall of Communism - 1989

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The term of office is as long as that of the Diet, i.e. four years. The Senate may reject or amend the bills passed by the Diet but the Senate's decisions may be still turned down by an absolute majority vote in the Diet. A joint session of the Senate and the Diet is known as National Assembly. Traditionally, the Senate takes particular care of the so-called Polonia, or Polish communities outside Poland.

Related Topics:
National Assembly - Polonia

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