Country Profile: Poland

This Country Profile provides a basic overview of the legal history and institutional structures of the Republic of Poland (Rzeczpospolita Polska), based on research produced by GlobaLex at NYU Law School and the Library of Congress. Under Poland’s Constitution, Islamic law (sharīʿa or fiqh) has no legal status.

Country Background

Poland is located in Central Europe, adjacent to the Baltic Sea. It is bounded by Germany, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Ukraine, Lithuania, and Belarus. The capital of Poland is Warsaw. The official language is Polish. The country’s population in 2016 was approximately 38.5 million. Poland is a predominantly Christian country, with about 87% of the population Roman Catholic.

Constitution & Legal Structure

Poland is referred to as a parliamentary republic, in which sovereignty belongs to the people. According to the 1997 Constitution, amended most recently in 2009, the sources of universally binding Polish law are the Constitution itself as the supreme law of the land, the statutes, ratified international agreements, and regulations. The system of government in Poland is based on separation of powers and is divided into three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. Poland is a member state of the European Union.

Constitutional Status of Islamic Law

Islamic law has no constitutional status in Poland. 

Jurisdiction(s) of Islamic Law

Islamic law has no official jurisdiction of operation in Poland.

Dominant School of Islamic Law

Poland has no official school of Islamic law. 

Sources of Law for Legal Research

Official Publications

 Unofficial Databases

References:

For an extended list of legal resources for this country, see the Library of Congress’s Research Guide, and for a narrative review, see the GlobaLex Foreign Law Research Guide (most updated version, where available). The Constitution is available in the LOC Guide in its original language and at Constitute in English and Arabic translation. For full versions of past constitutions, amendments, and related legislation, see HeinOnline World Constitutions Illustrated or Oxford Constitutions of the World [subscription required for each].