Remarks on Civic Legislative Initiative in Poland

Abstract

The article presents citizens’ legislative initiative at the local level in Poland as a form of social participation. Poland is currently seeing a growing interest in public affairs on the part of citizens, which is especially noticeable at the local level. In the article, particular attention is paid to the importance of local self-government, which is the key element of a democratic state that provides its citizens with an opportunity to participate in exercising public power. The structures of Polish local administration are one of the fundamental manifestations effects of decentralization of public administration. It is through these structures that the citizens’ right to take socially important actions related to the satisfying of public needs stemming from living in the given territory is exercised. Citizens’ legislative initiative at the local level allows the members of local communities to submit a draft of a resolution to the local legislative body. The establishment of the legislative initiative of the members of the local communities in generally applicable legal regulations was a positive move, as it has created an opportunity to promote citizens’ local legislative initiative as an instrument allowing citizens to have actual influence over the functioning of local communities.