Czy w Polsce istnieje kartel partii politycznych?

Abstract

This paper concentrates on the Polish party system and the concept of cartel party. Its purpose is, on the one hand, to estimate the degree of dependency between the Polish parties and the state and, on the other hand, to analyse the development of the Polish parties in the light of the concept of cartel party. The author argues that the Polish party system is too unstable to recognize the emergence of a cartel. The author also maintains that the Polish parties have adjusted the structure of the state to suit their own needs. They have also accepted the fact that only the presently ruling parties can derive benefits from administration. Whereas the remaining parties, having secured their own financing from the state Budget (having secured their survival), can only wait to gain a chance of takeover. This article focuses on describing the establishment of the concept of cartel party and it also analyses this concept in the light of the following aspects: the political parties’ public financing system, the Polish electoral system (described along with the changes in the parliamentary electoral law introduced by political parties), and last but not least, the extent of political patronage.