The central government carries out state tasks and reports to the Council of Ministers. Local authorities carry out tasks for local communities (municipalities, counties, and voivodeships) and are independent of the government—the government can only monitor their compliance with the law. Central government bodies are appointed centrally, while local government bodies are elected by residents. In Poland, these two structures together constitute public administration.
To sum it up
- Public administration : Council of Ministers, ministers, central departments, and at the local level – the governor and the services subordinate to him.
- Local government : self-government bodies of municipalities, districts and voivodeships (e.g. mayor, starosta, marshal).
- The government is functioning hierarchically (by official orders), local government regardless – supervision is carried out only from the point of view of legality.
- The voivode is a representative of the government, Voivodeship Marshal — is a local government body; both operate within the same voivodeship.
Public administration – what is it and who creates it?
Public administration — is a part of the state administration, headed by the Council of Ministers. It implements state policy and resolves issues requiring uniform implementation throughout the country, such as security, defense, foreign policy, public finance, and the issuance of passports.
It is divided into two levels:
- central — The Council of Ministers, the Prime Minister, ministers and central government bodies (e.g. heads of major departments).
- Locals – operating in the voivodeships. According to the Act of 23 January 2009 on voivodes and state administration in the voivodeship, these tasks are performed by voivodes, joint state administration bodies, and bodies not part of the joint state administration bodies.
Voivode is the representative of the Council of Ministers in the voivodeship, the head of the joint administration (e.g. the commanders of the provincial police and the state fire service) and the body supervising local self-government. ununited The administration includes bodies directly subordinate to the relevant ministers or central government bodies, such as tax authorities. State management tasks may also be performed by the mayor, if provided for by separate laws.
Local government – what is it and who creates it?
Organs local government include local government bodies. The Constitution of the Republic of Poland provides that the inhabitants of a commune, county, and voivodeship constitute, by law, a self-governing community (Article 16), and that local government performs public tasks not assigned to other authorities (Article 163). The basic unit of local government is commune (Article 164).
In Poland, local government has three levels:
- commune – the commune council (legislative body) and the head of the commune, the mayor or president of the city (executive body).
- county - the county council and the county board headed by headman .
- Voivodeship self-government - the voivodeship assembly and the voivodeship council headed by marshal .
Local governments have legal personality , their own property and budgets, and their independence is subject to judicial protection (Article 165 of the Constitution). They carry out as their own tasks – meeting the needs of residents, such as local roads, primary schools, water supply and waste disposal, – and tasks assigned by the state in accordance with the law (Article 166).
The most important differences between state and local government.
The differences are due to two constitutional principles: the government manages public administration, and the state system ensures decentralization of state power (Article 15 of the Constitution), that is, the transfer of certain tasks to local authorities.
- Subordination – government bodies are hierarchically subordinate to each other and follow the orders of higher-level bodies. Local government bodies are not subordinate to the government.
- Supervision – the activities of local government bodies are subject to oversight solely from a legal perspective. The oversight bodies are the prime minister and voivodes, and in financial matters, the regional audit chambers (Article 171 of the Constitution). Consequently, a voivode can challenge an unlawful decision, but not one that he simply disapproves of.
- Method of appointment Ministers and governors are appointed from above (the governor is appointed by the prime minister). Local councils and assemblies, as well as commune heads, mayors, and city elders, are elected by residents.
- In the interests of the state – the state administration acts in the interests of the entire state, local government – primarily in the interests of the local community.
- Finance – the state administration uses the state budget, while local governments have their own budget, financed, among other things, from their own revenues, subsidies and grants.
Comparative table of state and local government
| Characteristic | Public administration | Local government administration |
|---|---|---|
| Manages / creates | Council of Ministers | Residents of the local government settlement |
| Organ samples | Prime Minister, ministers, voivode | Mayor, mayor, headman, marshal, councils and regional assemblies |
| Office worker | Ministries, central governments, provincial governments | Municipal/city government, district government, marshal's office |
| Internal relations | Hierarchy and subordination | Independence protected by the courts. |
| State control | Full control | Supervision is carried out only in legal terms. |
| Planting method | Vocation | Local elections |
| Reception | The whole country, voivodeships | Commune, district, voivodeship |
How do you determine which administration to contact regarding your case?
The most common trap is names . The voivode and the voivodeship marshal operate in the same provincial capital, but the former represents the government (voivodeship administration), and the latter – local government (marshal’s administration). Meanwhile, headman , despite its "official" name, is a local government body and not a representative of the government.
Examples of typical cases:
- Identity card, registration certificate, birth certificate - municipal or city government (a local government body that carries out tasks assigned by the state),
- driver's license, car registration - district administration or city administration with district authorities.
- passport - voivode (state administration),
- EU funds are allocated within the framework of regional programs – as a rule, by the voivodeship government (marshal’s office).
The authorities are changing their responsibilities in accordance with the new regulations, so before visiting, it's worth checking the latest information on the agency's website or on gov.pl.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Is the voivode a government or local authority?
Government. The voivode is the representative of the Council of Ministers in the voivodeship; he is appointed by the prime minister. The governing body of the voivodeship is the board, headed by the marshal.
Is the headman a government body?
No. The headman is the chairperson of the district council, that is, the local government body. However, he or she may perform administrative functions if provided for by law.
Who oversees the activities of local authorities?
The Prime Minister and provincial governors, and in financial matters, regional audit chambers, oversee matters. Oversight concerns only compliance with the law.
What tasks are within the competence of local authorities and what tasks are assigned to them?
Local government functions meet the needs of the local community and are carried out independently by local governments. Local government functions are delegated to local authorities by law, such as the administration of municipal identity cards.
How many levels of local government are there in Poland?
Three levels: commune, district, and voivodeship. The commune is the basic unit of local government.
See also
- What is the difference between the executive and legislative branches?
- What is the difference between a country and a state?
- What is the difference between an act and a resolution?
- What is the difference between direct and indirect democracy?