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SECTIONIIA
MichałWojewoda
ProfessorofLaw,UniversityofŁódź
CONDITIONSOFTHERECOGNITIONOFTHECIVILSTATUS
OFTRANSSEXUALANDTRANSGENDERPEOPLEINPOLAND
1.IntroductionthePolishlegalsystem
TheRepublicofPolandisaparliamentarydemocracywiththewritten
Constitution(ofApril2,19971)beingthesuperiorlaw.Theothersourcesof
bindingrulesinPolandare:ordinarystatutes,regulationsbasedonstatutory
delegation,actsoflocallaw(inlimitedareas)aswellasinternational
conventionsandthelawoftheEuropeanUnion(towhichPolandhasbelonged
since2004).
AnychangeoftheConstitutionrequirestheinvolvementofbothchambersof
theParliament(theSejmandtheSenate)actingwithspecialmajority.Incertain
cases,anationalreferendummaybeorganizedtoapprove(orreject)thechange
oftheConstitutionadoptedbytheParliament.
TheconsistencyofthelegalsysteminPolandiscontrolledbythe
ConstitutionalTribunal.Actinguponthemotionofvariousomcialbodies,the
Tribunalreviewsthecomplianceofnormativeactswithactsofhigherrank
and,inparticular,thecomplianceofstatuteswiththeConstitution.Another
wayofinvolvingtheConstitutionalTribunalisaconstitutionalcomplaint
whichmaybefiledbyanypersonwhoseconstitutionalrightsorfreedoms
wereinfringedandtheywerenotmadegoodbythedecisionofacompetent
publicauthoritydespitetheexhaustionofappropriateprocedures(Art.79of
theConstitution).TherulingsoftheConstitutionalTribunalarebindingupon
theirpublication.
Withtheexceptionofthesexequalityprinciple,asenvisagedinArt.33,the
PolishConstitutionof1997devotesnospecialrulestotheproblemofcivilstatus,
genderorsexualidentity.Still,anysuchissuesshouldalwaysbeseeninthelightofthe
overarchingwordingofArt.30thatguaranteestherespectofpersonaldignityofevery
1OficialJournal[O.J.]1997,No.78,item483.