SUPERIOR POWERS OF THE PRIME MINISTER WITHIN THE STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION (Kierownicze kompetencje Prezesa Rady Ministrów w strukturze administracji rzadowej)

According to the Constitution of the Republic of Poland, the Prime Minister performs the functions of 'coordinator and controller of the work of members of the government' in carrying out of the task 'to ensure the implementation of the policies adopted by the Council of Ministers' (Article 148(4) and (5)). Those functions of the President of the Council of Ministers are specified in detail in secondary legislation. They are contained in 150 statutes currently in force. This article attempts to classify these competences. They may be arranged into the following groups: organizational powers, appointment powers, issuance of guidelines and instructions, direct management over matters assigned to individual ministers. Considering those numerous competences, contained both in the Constitution and statutes, the author puts forward a proposal to recognize the Prime Minister, formally, in Article 10 of the Constitution as the third element of the executive power, in addition to the Council of Ministers and the President of the Republic.