samorzdach

Samorzdach is not a standard term in Polish or other widely used languages. When encountered without diacritics, samorzdach is likely a nonstandard rendering of samorządach, the locative plural form of samorząd, meaning “in self-governments.” The term would most often appear as a misspelling or typographical variant rather than as a distinct concept. This article explains the related concept of samorząd in Poland and why the exact spelling may be ambiguous.

Etymology and meaning

The word samorząd comes from sam- (self) and rząd (governance or rule). In Polish, samorząd denotes local self-government institutions and the right of local communities to manage many of their own affairs under national law. The locative plural samorządach would be used in sentences like “w samorządach,” “in local governments.”

Structure and scope

In Poland, local self-government operates at three levels: gmina (municipality or commune), powiat (county), and województwo (voivodeship or province). Each level has elected bodies and executive organs. The gmina and city equivalents have a rada gminy or rada miasta (council) and an executive head such as wójt (rural), burmistrz (town), or prezydent miasta (city president). The powiat has rada powiatu and a starosta as executive. The voivodeship is led by sejmik województwa (regional assembly) and a zarząd województwa. Local governments administer budgets, elect local officials, and manage services such as education, transport, housing, waste management, social welfare, and urban planning within their competence.

History and status

Local self-government in Poland was reorganized in the 1990s and formally established as a three-tier system in 1999, with its framework further anchored by constitutional and legal provisions. Local authorities are elected directly and operate with a degree of fiscal autonomy and shared responsibilities with the central government.

See also

Local government in Poland; samorząd terytorialny.