Poland: Experimenting with the Electoral System

Abstract

The electoral system used in Poland for the lower house of parliament (the Sejm) proved highly susceptible to change in the first decade of the new political system. Unusually, the law changed for three out of four elections (1991, 1993, 2001). Nor can the revisions introduced for the 2001 elections be viewed as final. Indeed, as Olechowski’s view above shows, even basic premises of electoral system design remained contested. Here we provide an overview of the various electoral systems used for the Sejm and the circumstances of change. Then follows an analysis of the key political actors and the processes and issues that emerged.

If God were to write an electoral law, He would write a majoritarian one.

(Andrzej Olechowski, Convention of the Platforma Obywatelska (PO), 24 January 2001)¹