Constitucion De Polonia

Chapter I The Republic

Article 1 []
The Republic of Poland shall be the common good of all its citizens.

Article 2 []
The Republic of Poland shall be a democratic state ruled by law and implementing the principles of social justice.

Article 3 []
The Republic of Poland shall be a unitary State.

Article 4 []
(1) Supreme power in the Republic of Poland shall be vested in theNation.
(2) The Nation shall exercise such power directly or through their representatives.

Article 5 []
The Republic of Poland shall safeguard the independence and integrity of its territory and ensure the freedoms and rights of persons and citizens, the security of the citizens, safeguard the national heritage and shall ensure the protection of the natural environment pursuant to theprinciples of sustainable development.

Article 6 []
(1) The Republic of Poland shall provide conditions for the people's equal access to cultural goods which are the source of the Nation's identity, continuity and development.
(2) The Republic of Poland shall provide assistance to Poles living abroad to maintain their links with the national cultural heritage.

Article 7 []
The organs ofpublic authority shall function on the basis of, and within the limits of, the law.

Article 8 []
(1) The Constitution shall be the supreme law of the Republic of Poland.
(2) The provisions of the Constitution shall apply directly, unless the Constitution provides otherwise.

Article 9 []
The Republic of Poland shall respect international law binding upon it.

Article 10 []
(1) Thesystem of government of the Republic of Poland shall be based on the separation of and balance between the legislative, executive and judicial powers.
(2) Legislative power shall be vested in the House of Representatives (Sejm) and the Senate, executive power shall be vested in the President of the Republic of Poland and the Council of Ministers, and the judicial power shall be vested in courtsand tribunals.

Article 11 []
(1) The Republic of Poland shall ensure freedom for the creation and functioning of political parties. Political parties shall be founded on the principle of voluntariness and upon the equality of Polish citizens, and their purpose shall be to influence the formulation of the policy of the State by democratic means.
(2) The financing of political parties shallbe open to public inspection.

Article 12 []
The Republic of Poland shall ensure freedom for the creation and functioning of trades unions, socio-occupational organizations of farmers, societies, citizens' movements, other voluntary associations and foundations.

Article 13 []
Political parties and other organizations whose programmes are based upon totalitarian methods and the modes ofactivity of nazism, fascism and communism, as well as those whose programmes or activities sanction racial or national hatred, the application of violence for the purpose of obtaining power or to influence the State policy, or provide for the secrecy of their own structure or membership, shall be forbidden.

Article 14 []
The Republic of Poland shall ensure freedom of the press and othermeans of social communication.

Article 15 []
(1) The territorial system of the Republic of Poland shall ensure the decentralization of public power.
(2) The basic territorial division of the State shall be determined by statute, allowing for the social, economic and cultural ties which ensure to the territorial units the capacity to perform their public duties.

Article 16 []
(1) Theinhabitants of the units of basic territorial division shall form a self-governing community in accordance with law.
(2) Local self-government shall participate in the exercise of public power. The substantial part of public duties which local self-government is empowered to discharge by statute shall be done in its own name and under its own responsibility.

Article 17 []
(1) By means of a...