System Specificity of Local Elections in Poland Cover Image

Systemowa specyfika wyborów samorządowych w Polsce
System Specificity of Local Elections in Poland

Author(s): Waldemar Wojtasik
Subject(s): Social Sciences
Published by: Towarzystwo Naukowe KUL & Katolicki Uniwersytet Lubelski Jana Pawła II
Keywords: municipal elections; local elections; regional elections; Polish party system

Summary/Abstract: The political system transformation initiated in 1989 brought about dramatic changes in the functioning of local and regional government structures. The dimension of their political and social empowerment manifests itself through their own electoral cycle in the form of local government elections. The article is an attempt to expound the specificity of local elections in Poland. The factors behind this specificity indicate the restoration processes of local government, on-going decentralization processes, active use of mechanisms for implementing local government electoral law and the growing significance of elections at the local and regional level. These features make the local elections stand out from the parliamentary, presidential and European Parliament elections.

  • Issue Year: 41/2013
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 53-72
  • Page Count: 20
  • Language: Polish