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Country Background

Poland is located in Central Europe, adjacent to the Baltic Sea. It is bounded by Germany, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Ukraine, Lithuania, and Belarus. The capital of Poland is Warsaw. The official language is Polish. The country’s population in 2016 was approximately 38.5 million. Poland is a predominantly Christian country, with about 87% of the population Roman Catholic.

Constitution & Legal Structure

Poland is referred to as a parliamentary republic, in which sovereignty belongs to the people. According to the 1997 Constitution, amended most recently in 2009, the sources of universally binding Polish law are the Constitution itself as the supreme law of the land, the statutes, ratified international agreements, and regulations. The system of government in Poland is based on separation of powers and is divided into three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. Poland is a member state of the European Union.

Constitutional Status of Islamic Law

Islamic law has no constitutional status in Poland. 

Jurisdiction(s) of Islamic Law

Islamic law has no official jurisdiction of operation in Poland.

Dominant School of Islamic Law

Poland has no official school of Islamic law. 

Sources of Law for Legal Research

Official Publications

• Legislative
  • Parliament consists of the Sejm and Senat 
  • Monitor Polski (official gazette)
• Executive
  • Prezydent [President]
  • Prezesa Rady Ministrow [President of the Council of Ministers, i.e., Prime Minister]
• Judicial
• Sad Najwyzszy [Supreme Court]
• Trybunal Konstytucyjny [Constitutional Tribunal] - includes judgments

 Unofficial Databases

• FAOLEX: Poland (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) database of national laws and regulations on food, agriculture, and renewable natural resources.
• NATLEX: Poland (International Labour Organization) database of national laws on labor, social security, and related human rights.
• RefWorld Legal Information: Poland (UNHCR)
• WIPO Lex: Poland (World Intellectual Property Organization)
• Juricaf: Pologne decisions in French 
• Doing Business in Poland (Law Library Poland/World Bank) 
• Legislationline: Poland (OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights) includes Elections and other topics
• N-Lex: Poland (Europa)

References:

For an extended list of legal resources for this country, see the Library of Congress’s Research Guide, and for a narrative review, see the GlobaLex Foreign Law Research Guide (most updated version, where available). The Constitution is available in the LOC Guide in its original language and at Constitute in English and Arabic translation. For full versions of past constitutions, amendments, and related legislation, see HeinOnline World Constitutions Illustrated or Oxford Constitutions of the World [subscription required for each].