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The Presidentialization of the Polish Political Regime Sensu Stricto – Manifestations and Consequences
Abstract
RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: The article aims to identify the key manifestations of the presidentialization of the Polish political regime sensu stricto and to assess their potential implications forthe political system.
THE RESEARCH PROBLEM AND METHODS: The research question concerns whether the governing style announced and implemented during the initial weeks of President Karol Nawrocki’s tenure reflects a broader trend towards the presidentialization of Poland’s political regime sensu stricto. The study employs a mid-range systemic analysis grounded in the assumptions of neoinstitutionalism anda foresight-oriented heuristic approach.
THE PROCESS OF ARGUMENTATION: The determinants of the personalization process are examined through three interrelated dimensions: 1) Transformation of political communication, manifested in increasingly candidate-centered tendencies during electoral campaigns; 2) Construction of direct links between the president and citizens, bypassing political parties and thus strengthening presidential autonomy within the political system; 3) Processes of a gradual shift towards a prime ministerialisation, understood as the expansion of the president’s role into areas traditionally associated with the prime minister’s domain.
RESEARCH RESULTS: Empirical observations confirm the presence of presidentialization trends. However, these tendencies do not yet justify the conclusion that the process has reached an consolidated phase.
CONCLUSIONS, INNOVATIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS: Although presidential election campaigns in Poland have become markedly more person-centered, electoral success continues to depend on the backing of a relevant political party. The evolving communication model nonetheless contributes to a gradual increase in presidential autonomy vis-à-vis political parties—though this autonomy manifests primarily in relations with actors identified as opponents rather than allies. Furthermore, the early weeks of Karol Nawrocki’s presidency may signal the emergence of processes leading to the prime ministerialisation of the presidency. Despite observable symptoms of the presidentialization, the dynamics of political competition suggest that this process is unlikely to be entrenched or institutionalized at the constitutional level in the foreseeable future.
Keywords
presidentialization, prime ministerialisation, political regime sensu stricto, President of the Republic of Poland
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