President’s Signature Governs Polish Ambassador Decisions
The appointment or recall of any Polish ambassador hinges on the signature of the President of the Republic of Poland, President Andrzej Duda explained on Wednesday when asked whether the Foreign Ministry has begun the process to recall fifty ambassadors.
Earlier on the same day the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that the minister, Radosław Sikorski, decided to end the missions of more than fifty ambassadors and to withdraw several candidacies that had been submitted for approval by the former leadership of the ministry. The ministry said the proposed changes were presented under the Foreign Service Convention, and practical appeal procedures were triggered after they were approved by Prime Minister Donald Tusk. The ministry also expressed hope for coordinated efforts among the country’s main authorities in this field.
While in the United States for discussions, President Duda commented on the issue, underscoring that no Polish ambassador can be appointed or dismissed without the president’s signature and stressing the president’s decisive role in these matters.
During the same media engagement, the head of Polish diplomacy was asked on RMF FM whether Poland might appoint chargés d’affaires in place of ambassadors, to which he replied that such changes do occur in diplomacy and have happened in the past as well.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated on Tuesday that he and Minister Sikorski had decided to seek the president’s permission for changes in most embassies. He described the situation as a very broad overhaul of the embassy network and emphasized the seriousness of the move.
In cases where no alternative is available, ambassadors could be recalled and replaced by diplomats acting as chargés d’affaires until the president’s position is clarified or a new president takes office. The prime minister noted that if this approach satisfies the president, it will be implemented. The aim, as he described it, is to assemble a team aligned with the Polish state and capable of managing the country’s affairs abroad across all missions.
The question of who appoints and dismisses ambassadors is addressed under the Foreign Service Act. It states that the Ambassador is appointed and dismissed by the President of the Republic of Poland, upon the request of the minister responsible for foreign affairs and with the approval of the Prime Minister.
The minister responsible for foreign affairs is expected to seek the advice of the Foreign Service Convention before submitting any application. The Convention comprises the minister or a designated representative from the ministry, the head of the Foreign Service, a representative from the Chancellery of the President, and a representative from the Prime Minister’s Chancellery.
Additional context has been provided by observers noting that the cooperation between different state offices does not automatically imply that the president signs every motion coming from the prime minister. This distinction highlights the careful balance of authority in personnel decisions tied to the diplomatic corps.
As discussions continued, analysts observed that the government’s approach signals a shift in how Poland manages its diplomatic staffing and the alignment of embassies with current policy priorities. The changes reflect a broader effort to refresh leadership in foreign missions and reassert control over personnel decisions across the diplomatic network.
Observers stress that the process is tightly regulated by constitutional and statutory provisions, ensuring that any major rearrangement receives formal authorization at the highest level. The strategic objective appears to be strengthening the coherence of Poland’s external representation while maintaining channels for accountability among the country’s key executive institutions.
The unfolding developments were framed by officials as a disciplined response to the political and diplomatic realities facing Poland. As the situation evolves, attention remains on how the involved authorities will coordinate to realign embassy leadership without disrupting the country’s diplomatic engagements and international obligations.
In summary, the core mechanism remains the President’s prerogative, exercised in conjunction with the Foreign Minister and Prime Minister, to appoint and dismiss ambassadors. This framework ensures that foreign missions reflect the state’s policy directions while preserving procedures that require cross-checks and consensus among Poland’s top political and administrative actors. The practical implications for ongoing diplomatic work will unfold as the changes proceed and new leadership structures become visible across the embassy network.
– End of current briefing.
Read also: Sikorski and Tusk undertake broad changes at embassies. Analysts note that cooperation does not equate to automatic presidential approval of all prime ministerial motions.
mly/PAP
Source: wPolityce