List of heads of state of Poland

Poland

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Poland

Politics Constitution Human rights Legislative National Assembly Senate Sejm Executive President (List) Bronisław Komorowski Prime Minister (List) Donald Tusk Cabinet Ministries Judiciary Constitutional Tribunal Supreme Court Supreme Administrative Court State Tribunal Supreme Chamber of Control Public Prosecutor General Ombudsman Elections Presidential 1990 · 1995 · 2000 2005 · 2010 Parliamentary 1989 · 1991 · 1993 1997 · 2001 · 2005 2007 · 2011 European Parliament 2004 · 2009 Local elections 1990 · 1994 · 1998 2002 · 2006 · 2010 Referendums 1996 · 1997 · 2003 Divisions Voivodeships Counties Communes Cities and towns Political parties Civic Platform Law and Justice Democratic Left Alliance Polish People's Party Poland Comes First Politicians Foreign policy Foreign relations Ambassadors Politics of the EU See also Economy History (political) Military

Other countries · Atlas Politics portal

Kingdom of Poland (1916–1918)

No.	Portrait	Name (Born–Died)	Took office	Left office	Notes
1		Provisional Council	5 November 1916	25 August 1917	Collective head of state: Waclaw Niemojowski, Józef Mikułowski-Pomorski
2		Regency Council	15 October 1917	14 November 1918	Collective head of state: Aleksander Kakowski, Zdzisław Lubomirski, Józef Ostrowski

Republic of Poland (1918–1939)

Chief of State

No.	Portrait	Name (Born–Died)	Took office	Left office	Notes
1		Marshal Józef Piłsudski (1867–1935)	14 November 1918	11 December 1922	Provisional Chief of State until 1919.

Presidents of the Republic

No.	Portrait	Name (Born–Died)	Took office	Left office	Notes
1 (1)		Gabriel Narutowicz (1865–1922)	11 December 1922	16 December 1922	Assassinated
—		Maciej Rataj (1884–1940)	16 December 1922	22 December 1922	Marshal of the Sejm, Acting President.
2 (2)		Stanisław Wojciechowski (1869–1953)	22 December 1922	14 May 1926	Deposed in the May Coup by Marshall Piłsudski
—		Maciej Rataj (1884–1940)	14 May 1926	4 June 1926	Marshal of the Sejm, Acting President.
3 (3)		Ignacy Mościcki (1867–1946)	4 June 1926	30 September 1939	During his presidency, real power lay with Marshals, Piłsudski (27 August 1926 – 12 May 1935) and Rydz-Śmigły (12 May 1935 – 27 October 1939). Mościcki's government was exiled to Romania after Poland's defeat in World War II after 17 September.

Government of the Republic of Poland in Exile (1939–1990)

After the German conquest of Poland, a Polish government-in-exile was formed under the protection of France and Britain. The government was recognized by the United Kingdom and, later, by the United States until 6 July 1945, when the Western Allies accepted Stalin's Communist government. Despite having lost recognition by any other government, the government-in-exile continued in London until the election of Lech Wałęsa as President of the Republic of Poland in December 1990.

The sole internationally recognized President of the exiled government was Władysław Raczkiewicz, who took office after Ignacy Mościcki's resignation.

No.	Portrait	Name (Born–Died)	Took office	Left office	Notes
1 (4)		Władysław Raczkiewicz (1885–1947)	30 September 1939	9 June 1947	Raczkiewicz's government lost recognition by the Western allies on 6 July 1945.
2 (5)		August Zaleski (1883–1972)	9 June 1947	8 April 1972
3 (6)		Stanisław Ostrowski (1892–1982)	9 April 1972	24 March 1979
4 (7)		Edward Raczyński (1891–1993)	8 April 1979	8 April 1986
5 (8)		Kazimierz Sabbat (1913–1989)	8 April 1986	19 July 1989
6 (9)		Ryszard Kaczorowski (1919–2010)	19 July 1989	22 December 1990	Kaczorowski resigned upon the election of Lech Wałęsa as President of the Republic of Poland.

People's Republic of Poland (1944–1989)

President of the Presidium of the Popular Council

The People's Republic of Poland was founded under Soviet protection on 31 December 1944 and recognized by the United States and the United Kingdom since 6 July 1945.

No.	Portrait	Name (Born–Died)	Took office	Left office	Notes
1		Bolesław Bierut (1892–1956)	31 December 1944	5 February 1947

President of the Republic

No.	Portrait	Name (Born–Died)	Took office	Left office	Notes
1		Bolesław Bierut (1892–1956)	5 February 1947	20 November 1952	From December 1948 also Secretary General of the Polish United Workers' Party.

Chairman of the Council of State

In 1952, the July Constitution abolished the office of president and made the Council of State the collective head of state, chairmen of which are listed below. Real power rested with the Polish United Workers' Party (PZPR), its Central Committee and its secretary general/first secretary.

No.	Portrait	Name (Born–Died)	Took office	Left office	Notes
1		Aleksander Zawadzki (1899–1964)	20 November 1952	7 August 1964	Died in office (cancer).
2		Edward Ochab (1906–1989)	12 August 1964	10 April 1968
3		Marian Spychalski (1906–1980)	10 April 1968	23 December 1970
4		Józef Cyrankiewicz (1911–1989)	23 December 1970	28 March 1972
5		Henryk Jabłoński (1909–2003)	28 March 1972	6 November 1985
6		Wojciech Jaruzelski (1923– )	6 November 1985	19 July 1989	Also First Secetary of the Polish United Workers' Party.

President of the People's Republic of Poland

No.	Portrait	Name (Born–Died)	Took office	Left office	Notes
1		Wojciech Jaruzelski (1923– )	19 July 1989	31 December 1989	Following the Polish Round Table Agreement between PZPR and Solidarity, the Council of State was abolished and its Chairman became President of the People's Republic for a transitional period.

Republic of Poland (1990–Present)

President of the Republic

No.	Portrait	Name (Born–Died)	Took office	Left office	Politial Party	Notes
1		Wojciech Jaruzelski (1923– )	31 December 1989	22 December 1990	Polish United Workers' Party	When the state name was changed to Republic of Poland on 31 December 1989, the office was renamed accordingly.
2		Lech Wałęsa (1943– )	22 December 1990	22 December 1995	Solidarity	Elected 1990, the first President elected by popular vote.
3		Aleksander Kwaśniewski (1954– )	23 December 1995	23 December 2005	Social Democracy	Elected 1995 and 2000, the first President of Third Republic elected twice.
4		Lech Kaczyński (1949–2010)	23 December 2005	10 April 2010	Law and Justice	Elected 2005. Died in an airplane crash, which also claimed the life of the last President of the Government-in-Exile, Ryszard Kaczorowski.
—		Bronisław Komorowski (1952– )	10 April 2010	8 July 2010	Civic Platform	Marshal of the Sejm, Acting President
—		Bogdan Borusewicz (1949– )	8 July 2010	8 July 2010	Civic Platform	Marshal of the Senate, Acting President
—		Grzegorz Schetyna (1963– )	8 July 2010	6 August 2010	Civic Platform	Marshal of the Sejm, Acting President
5		Bronisław Komorowski (1952– )	6 August 2010	Incumbent	Civic Platform	Elected 2010.

See also

• Acting President of Poland
• Polish presidential election, 1990
• Polish presidential election, 1995
• Polish presidential election, 2000
• Polish presidential election, 2005
• Polish presidential election, 2010
• List of Prime Ministers of Poland
• List of Polish monarchs