Electoral System: Genesis, Evolution and Functioning

This paper commences with an overview of the Polish electoral system that was established following the fall of communism in 1989. Over the ensuing decade, the Sejm’s (Lower House) electoral law underwent substantial reforms, some of which facilitated momentous political changes in certain elections. Changes that were even more far-reaching, which entail the introduction of a completely different electoral system, have been the focus of numerous parliamentary initiatives and have been advocated by various social movements. However, to date, all of these initiatives have faced insurmountable political hurdles. In contrast, the electoral systems for the Senate, Presidency, and the European Parliament saw only minor alterations. The electoral system for local elections experienced a series of modifications and incorporated both proportional and majoritarian elements. Following this initial decade of extensive electoral reform, the entire electoral system has since remained relatively stable.