Suchergebnisse

The dynamics of the epidemic development (a sudden increase in the number of cases from March 2020) forced the necessity to take appropriate actions, launch mechanisms and procedures, the primary goal of which was to counteract infections. One of the greatest challenges has been the reorganization of the state administration. In Poland, numerous solutions were adopted to enable the functioning of the administration in specific conditions. One of such solutions was the possibility of working outside the usual place (outside the office building) – remotely (so-called remote work).

Poland as a young democracy is supported by extensive experience of mature democratic systems. Poland is still seeking reasonable and effective solutions regarding its electoral system. The right for electing the representatives of authority bodies is one of the fundamentals of democracy. This right entitles citizens for active public participation through expressing their support (votes) for candidates, which will respectively represent their voters in certain institutions. Polish electoral law, which regulates the local self-government elections is very controversial. The existing legal rules have been changed many times since 2011. Among the subjects being discussed are electoral campaigns, and candidate registration rules and organization of elections. Frequent changes in the electoral law result in misunderstandings and an unwillingness to participate in elections. Their effect is low voter turnout and a large number of invalid votes. Regardless of the above, it is worth to consider, why the Electoral Code was prepared so chaotically and without any further discussion? Why before the forthcoming elections to the European Parliament and municipalities planned for 2014 it was not possible to be assured about the electoral regulations, which were the subject of numerous changes?

The work is a compilation of well-chosen and documented works on local governments in the states of Central and Eastern Europe. The timeline that the authors have assumed has its starting point in the beginning of the 1990s, when the transformation processes of the states of the former Soviet block had begun. This also marks the beginning of the process of forming of democratic state structures, including local governments.

The right for electing the representatives of authority bodies is one of the fundamentals of democracy. This right entitles citizens for active public participation through expressing their support (votes) for candidates, which will respectively represent their voters in certain institutions. Polish electoral law, which regulates the local self–government elections is very controversial. The existing legal rules were changed many times since 2011. Among the subjects being discussed one can mention electoral campaigns, candidate registration rules and organization of elections. Frequent changes in the electoral law result in misunderstandings and unwillingness to participate in elections. Their effect is low voter turnout and a large number of invalid votes. To sum up considerations over a political model of large cities, it is worth to indicate that during the last 25 years of operation of Polish local government none of political models of big cities was adopted.

Issues related to the administrative division of Poland are among those problems that are intriguing to various social circles: researchers, scientists, economists, politicians. Disputes as to the number of voivodeships and their shape have been going on uninterruptedly since the introduction of the new administrative division of Poland in 1999. Every now and then we are faced with recurring debates, disputes about the need to introduce changes in Poland's territorial organisation, yet with no effects. That is why issuing the publication "Division of Poland into Voivodeships. An attempt at Objectivisation" in 2013 seems justified and necessary. This study might spur deliberations on the reorganisation of territorial space on a voivodeship level.

Publication on the topic of the economic self-government regime in Poland deserve special cognitive attention. The book The Civil bill on Chambers of Commerce and Industry in Poland, edited by Stanisław Wykrętowicz – expert and researcher of these issues – is the result of years of research conducted by research centres (Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Wrocław University of Economics, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, University of Gdańsk) and cooperation between circles of researchers and the representatives of chambers of commerce and local government practices.

The elections are an important element of the political system; indicator of the proper functioning of a democratic state. It is also the method for selection of the persons who will hold certain positions, public ofices and will represent the interests of the electorate.