Qualified Majority of Votes Higher Than the Majority Required for Amending the Constitution

The 1997 Constitution of Poland provides for one, three or four instances – depending on the interpretation – for the parliamentary majority of votes higher than that required for amending that Constitution. The aim of this paper is to specify the reasons that might have guided the Constitution-makers in adopting such a gradation, and to analyse those regulations in the light of democratic axiology. Nonetheless the difficulties related to adopting decisions by the parliament result both from legal (procedural and material) and non-legal factors, majority of votes remains a basic criterion specifying the level of those difficulties, underlying the role that the minority plays in democracy. In the context of electoral process’ distortions qualified majority may also be seen as ensuring that parliamentary decisions indeed reflect the will of the voters’ majority. In a democratic state there are, however, such values that cannot be eliminated even by the highest majorities.

Social perception of the Polish Constitution of 1997 and the proposals for its amendment The main purpose of the article was to show the social perception of the Polish Constitution by Poles. The media reports concerning the proposed amendment to the Constitution of 1997 were analyzed. The article includes, inter alia, questions about whether the Polish Constitution is really important for Poles, or is it rather a tool in the hands of politicians, used to evoke social emotions that are to influence the course of political events. The article uses a method of analyzing the literature and the legal acts on the subject and the analysis of the media content concerning Polish people‘s attitude to the proposed amendments to the Constitution of the Republic of Poland. The analysis of the collected materials shows that Poles know little about the Constitution. The change in the attitude of Poles was influenced by the socio-political situation in the country, divided traditional media and the political opposition.

About the Need to Amend the Polish Constitution

The Polish Constitution after 25 years does not need to be changed as a very modern and proven act of state practice. Urgent and thorough change is required by the political team that has led to the crisis of the system of law and the state. It is impossible to discuss the Constitution with people who do not know what it is and are only engaged in violating it. Today only inter-party brawling on substitute topics is possible. The article is a presentation of the author’s analyzes conducted in the context of changes in the understanding of constitutional law and concepts in its scope, with particular emphasis on those related to the amendment of the constitution. The author wonders who and in what situation should take up the task of preparing and presenting a draft amendment to the constitution and whether we are dealing with a “constitutional moment” now.