Representation of National Minorities of Poland in the Bodies of State Power Cover Image

Представництво національних меншин Польщі в органах державної влади
Representation of National Minorities of Poland in the Bodies of State Power

Author(s): Svitlana Matviіenkiv
Subject(s): Public Administration, Electoral systems, Ethnic Minorities Studies, Asylum, Refugees, Migration as Policy-fields
Published by: Wydawnictwo Adam Marszałek
Keywords: national minorities; the Republic of Poland; parliament; national legislation; electoral process; politicization of ethnicity;

Summary/Abstract: The question of the participation of all the public groups of the country in representative bodies of all levels is relevant to any state. However, the most difficult task is to represent the representative body of interests of national minorities. Different countries have come up with a different solution to this issue. The problem of the representation of national minorities in the authorities is for both traditionally multi-ethnic states and for countries that are reasonably homogeneous in the ethnic plan. This problem will persist as long as there are nations, nationalities, national minorities. People always seek to identify themselves with a particular community, and national identification is the most acceptable. The threat of assimilation of national minorities greatly enhances the desire to preserve its national identity, which always goes into the area of political relations and the need for political decision-making. This article analyzes the current problem of representation of national minorities in the legislative bodies of the Republic of Poland. The aim of the study was to analyze the participation of minority groups in the political (in particular, electoral) process of the state through the formation of ethnic elites and ethnopolitical parties. To complete the selected topic, the following tasks were set: to substantiate the place and the role of national minorities in the socio-political life of the state, to analyze the creation of political parties by individual national minorities and their participation in parliamentary and municipal elections. It is concluded that at the present stage all nationalities living in Poland are disproportionately represented in the state legislative bodies.

  • Issue Year: 4/2022
  • Issue No: 36
  • Page Range: 281-301
  • Page Count: 21
  • Language: Russian