Poland

1. Poland

2. 1795—Third partition divides Europe between A-H, Russia, and Prussia 1920—Poland restored after WW I 1939—Poland invaded 1945—Becomes Soviet satellite and member of UN 1980—Solidarity strike in Gdansk led by Lech Walesa 1999-Joined NATO History • Solidarity—labor union • Strike Aug. 31, 1980 • Signed 21-pt. Agreement with Commy gov’t • Had U.S. support, Reagan saw as courageous movement • By 1990—elections!

3. Facts Population: 38,500,696 (July 2008 est.) Ethnic groups: Polish 96.7%, German 0.4%, Belarusian 0.1%, Ukrainian 0.1%, other and unspecified 2.7% (2002 census) Polish 96.7%, German 0.4%, Belarusian 0.1%, Ukranian 0.1%, Unspecified 2.7% Language: 97.8% Polish speaking. 2.2% unspecified Religion: 90% Roman Catholic (75% practicing), 8% Protestant Life Expectancy: Male 70.9 / Female 79.2 Birth rate: 1.25 children born per woman (child/woman) SEX Ratio: At birth-1.06 male/female Total- 0.96 male/female Birth/Death Rate: Birth rate- 9.85 births/1000 Death rate- 9.89 births/1000 Population Growth Rate: -0.05% (2006 est.) Literacy: 99.8% total population, 99.8% men/99.7% women

4. Left Wing<---- Alliance of the Democratic Left-Labour Union Social Democracy of Poland Union of the Left Self-Defense of the Republic of Poland Political Parties • ----->Right Wing • Law and Justice • Alliance of the Right • Citizens Platform • Conservative People's Party • League of Polish Families • Union for Real Politic • Catholic-National Movement • Moderates • Polish Peasant Party • Democratic Party

5. The Executive of Poland • chief of state: President Lech KACZYNSKI (since 23 December 2005) • head of government: Prime Minister Donald TUSK (since 16 November 2007) • PM comes from majority party in Sejm • Famous: Lech Walesa 1990-1995

6. Presdent of the Republic of Poland • cabinet: Council of Ministers responsible to the primeminister and the Sejm; the prime minister proposes, the president appoints, and the Sejm approves the Council of Ministers elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held 9 and 23 October 2005 (next to be held in the fall 2010); prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president and confirmed by the Sejm election results: Lech KACZYNSKI elected president; percent of popular vote - Lech KACZYNSKI 54%, Donald Tusk 46%

7. (Cont.) Heads Executive authority Represents Polish interests Ensures observance of the Constitution Has a veto (can be overruled by 3/5 vote of at least ½ of the members of the Sejm) • Aidsdell • Head of State • Calls elections to the Sejm andthe Senate • Calls national referendum • Selects his own Prime Minister

8. Supreme Court Supreme Court judges are appointed by the president on the recommendation of the National Council of the Judiciary for an indefinite period. Judges are chosen by the Sejm for nine-year terms

9. Courts The Supreme Court supervises the adjudication in: • General courts - these are district, voivodeship, and appeal courts. They adjudicate in the areas of civil, criminal, family and labour law. • Military courts - that is circuit and garrison courts.They deal with matters relating to crimes committed by soldiers in active service, civilian employees in military units, and prisoners of war. • Administrative courts - a separate court system which deals with adjudication on the legal compliance of decisions taken by administrative bodies. It also settles cases between legal persons (corporations) or private citizens and administrative bodies.

10. Polish Parliament • Called the Sejm • There are 460 deputies in the Sejm. • There is a 5% (8% for registered coalitions) threshold for election to the Sejm. • Most debates are held here, and bills are introduced. • There are 100 seats in the polish senate • This is the upper house and bills can be vetoed here

11. "Shock Therapy" in Poland • State-owned enterprises were sold to the private sector • Interest rates were pushed higher thannormal, inflation kept as low as possible 3000-->300-->100-->30% • Opened all borders to foreign investment • Polish labor is cheap and skilled; Poland was able to capitalize on this

12. Failure of Reforms: mid 1990's • Inflation returning • Unemployment > 10% • Average citizen not better off than adecade ago • Much more economic inequality • Rise is support for ex-Communists (Walesa not re-elected in 1995)

13. Poland Today Poland is a parliamentary republic. Poland is relatively well endowed with natural resources. The engineering, food, textile, chemical, electronic, fuel and power industries are the most developed inPoland. There are 159 institutions of higher education in Poland, with an enrollment of about 682,000 students. A lot of foreign tourists visit Poland every year. Major supporter of the U.S.

14. Polish Political Culture • Low-context; • unlike “high-context” China or Saudi Arabia that protects itself, turns inwardwhen exposed to other influences • Poles want close economic and cultural ties with Europe

15. Polish Foreign Policy • Trusts the U.S. more than Europe, fears Russian expansion (U.S. gave MFN, special relationship) • U.S. gave $4.6 B in debt relief 1990-94,largest E. Europe recipient of U.S. aid • American firms invest in Poland heavily • European politicians see Poland as a spokesperson for U.S. policy • Primary goal: European integration

16. Economy • GDP (purchasing power parity):$624.6 billion (2007 est.) • GDP (official exchange rate):$413.3 billion (2007 est.) • GDP - real growth rate:6.5% (2007 est.) • GDP - per capita (PPP):$16,200 (2007 est.) • GDP - composition byagriculture: 4.1% industry: 31.9% services: 64% (2007 est.) • Labor force:17.01 million (2007 est.) • Labor force - by occupation:agriculture: 16.1% industry: 29% services: 54.9% (2002) • Unemployment rate:12.8% (2007 est.) • Population below poverty line:17% (2003 est.) • sector: Inflation rate (consumer prices):4.1% (December 2007 est.) Investment (gross fixed):21.8% of GDP (2007 est.) Budget:revenues: $80.53 billion expenditures: $88.7 billion (2007 est.) Public debt:44.5% of GDP (2007 est.) Agriculture - products:potatoes, fruits, vegetables, wheat; poultry, eggs, pork, dairy Industries:machine building, iron and steel, coal mining, chemicals, shipbuilding, food processing, glass, beverages, textiles

17. *This Poland Powerpoint was made using the help of CIA world factbook, Mr. Baysdell, Roger Wagner, and Austin Beattie

18. Republic of Poland Polish Flag! turd Austin Beattie Jake Reid Roger Wagner Map of Poland! Polish Coat of Arms!

19. POLAND • POPULATION: 38,536,869 (July 2006 est.) • Ethnicity: Polish 96.7%, German 0.4%, Belarusian 0.1%, Ukranian 0.1%, Unspecified 2.7% • Languages: 97.8% Polish speaking. 2.2% unspecified • Religion: 90% Roman Catholic (75% practicing), 8% Protestant • Life Expectancy: Male 70.9 / Female 79.2 • Birth rate: 1.25 children born per woman (child/woman) • SEX Ratio: At birth-1.06 male/female • Total- 0.96 male/female • Birth/Death Rate: Birth rate- 9.85 births/1000 • Death rate- 9.89 births/1000 • Population Growth Rate: -0.05% (2006 est.) • Literacy: 99.8% total population, 99.8% men/99.7% women

20. Executive • President Lech Kaczyński • Prime Minister Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz

21. Plays a very important role 5-year terms Aidsdell Head of State Callselections to the Sejm and the Senate Calls national referendum Selects his own Prime Minister Heads Executive authority Represents Polish interests Ensures observance of the Constitution Has a veto (can be overruled by 3/5 vote of at least ½ of the members of the Sejm) President of the Republic of PolandPrezydent Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej

22. Other Presidential Duties • Ratifies and revokes international agreements • Nominates and recalls ambassadors • Accepts accreditations of representatives of other states • Right of clemency • Can dismiss final court verdicts

23. Supreme Commander of Armed Forces • Appoints Chief General of Staff • Appoints Commanders of all Armed Forces • During wartime, he nominates Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces • Orders Mobilization

24. Left Wing<---- Alliance of the Democratic Left-Labour Union Social Democracy of Poland Union of the Left Self-Defense of the Republic of Poland ----->Right Wing Law and Justice Alliance of the Right Citizens Platform Conservative People's Party League of Polish Families Union for Real Politic Catholic-National Movement Political Parties • Line Riders • Polish Peasant Party • Democratic Party

25. Bicameral legislature consisting of an upper house • Sejm • lower house • 460 seats • members are elected under proportional representation • serve four-year terms • Senate • upper house • 100 seats • elected by a majority vote on a provincial basis • serve four-year terms Polish Parliament • the designation of National Assembly or Zgromadzenie Narodowe is only used on those rare occasions when the two houses meet jointly

26. The Senate • The Senate may reject or amend the bills passed by the Sejm, but any rejection or amendment may still be overruled by an absolute majority vote in the Sejm. • A joint session of the Senate and the Sejm is known as a National Assembly. • Traditionally, the Senate takes particular care of Polonia, Polish communities outside Poland.

27. The Sejm History: • Before the 20th century, the term "Sejm" referred to the entire three-chamber Polish parliament, comprising the lower house (Chamber of Deputies; Polish: Izba Poselska), the upper house (Senate; Polish: Senat) and the King. It was commonly termed a three-estate parliament. Since the Second Polish Republic (1918-1939), the term "Sejm" has referred only to the lower house of the parliament; the upper house is called the “Senat”.

28. Judiciary Supreme Court judges are appointed by the president on the recommendation of the National Council of the Judiciary for an indefinite period. Judges are chosen by the Sejm for nine-year terms

29. Courts The Supreme Court supervises the adjudication in: • General courts - these are district, voivodeship, and appeal courts. They adjudicate in the areas of civil, criminal, family and labour law. • Military courts - that is circuit and garrison courts. They deal with matters relating to crimes committed by soldiers in active service, civilian employees in military units, and prisoners of war. • Administrative courts - a separate court system which deals with adjudication on the legal compliance of decisions taken by administrative bodies. It also settles cases between legal persons (corporations) or private citizens and administrative bodies.

30. Supreme Court • The Supreme Court is the court of last resort of appeal against judgements in the lower courts. It also passes resolutions to clarify specific legal provisions and resolve disputable questions in specific cases.

31. GDP - per capita (PPP):$13,300 (2005 est.) Labor force:17.1 million (2005 est.) Unemployment rate:18.3% (2005 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices):2.1% (2005 est.) Public debt:47.3% of GDP (2005 est.) Poland has steadfastly pursued a policy of economic liberalization throughout the 1990s and today stands out as a success story among transition economies. Much remains to be done bringing down the unemployment rate (the highest in the EU) The privatization of small- and medium-sized state-owned companies Poland's agricultural sector remains handicapped by surplus labor, inefficient small farms, and lack of investment. Economy

32. GDP - per capita (PPP):$13,300 (2005 est.) Labor force:17.1 million (2005 est.) Unemployment rate:18.3% (2005 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices):2.1% (2005 est.) Public debt:47.3% of GDP (2005 est.) Poland has steadfastly pursued a policy of economic liberalization throughout the 1990s and today stands out as a success story among transition economies. Much remains to be done bringing down the unemployment rate (the highest in the EU) The privatization of small- and medium-sized state-owned companies Poland's agricultural sector remains handicapped by surplus labor, inefficient small farms, and lack of investment. Economy