List of prime ministers of Poland

This is a list of the prime ministers of Poland. The Prime Minister of Poland is both the leader of the cabinet and the head of government of Poland.

Great Chancellors of Poland (1107–1795)

PortraitNameLifespanTerm beganTerm ended
Jan?11071112
Michał Awdaniec?11121113
Goswin?11131138
Lupus?11381145
Peandied in 115211451152
Cherubindied in 118011521172
Klemens?11721173
Stefan?11731206
Iwo Odrowążdied 21 August 122912061208
Wincenty z Niałkadied in 123212081211
Jarost?12111212
Marcin?12121213
Nankerdied in 125012131241
Wawrzęta Gutowski?12411243
Rambold?12431262
Paweł z Przemankowadied 29 November 129212621266
Stanisław z Krakowa?12661270
Prokopdied in 129512701280
Andrzej Zarembadied in 131812801290
Wincenty?12901296
Jandied 26 August 129612961296
Piotr Angeli?12961306
Franciszek z Krakowa?13061320
Zbigniew z Szczyrzyca?13201356
Janusz Suchywilk1310 – 5 April 138213571373
Zawisza Kurozwęckidied 12 January 138213731379
Jan Radlicadied 12 January 139213801386
Mikołaj Zaklikadied in 140813861404
Mikołaj Kurowski1355–141114041411
Wojciech Jastrzębiec1362–143614111423
Jan Szafraniec1363 – 28 July 143314231433
Jan Taszka Koniecpolskidied 26 March 14551433 or 14341454
Jan Gruszczyński1405 – 8 October 147314541469
Jakub Dembiński1427 – 15 January 149014691473
Uriel Górka1435 – 21 January 149814731479
Stanisław Kurozwęcki1440–148214791482
Krzesław Kurozwęcki1440–150314831503
Jan Łaski1456 – 19 May 153115031510
Maciej Drzewicki22 February 1467 – 22 August 153515101513
Krzysztof Szydłowiecki1467–15321513 or 15151532
Jan Chojeński17 March 1486 – 11 March 153815321538
Paweł Dunin-Wolski1487–154615391540
Tomasz Sobocki1508–154715401541
Samuel Maciejowski15 January 1499 – 26 October 155015411550
Jan Ocieski1501 – 12 May 15631550 or 15521563
Walenty Dembińskidied in 158515641576
Piotr Dunin-Wolski1531 – 159015761578
Jan Zamoyski19 March 1542 – 3 June 160515781605
Maciej Pstrokoński1553 – 160916061609
Wawrzyniec Gembicki5 August 1559 – 10 February 162416091613
Feliks Kryski1562–161816131618
Stanisław Żółkiewski1547 – 7 October 162016181620
Andrzej Lipski1572 – 4 September 163116201623
Wacław Leszczyński1576 – 17 May 162816251628
Jakub Zadzik1582 – 17 March 164216281635
Tomasz Zamoyski1594–7 January 163816351635
Piotr Gembicki10 October 1585 – 14 July 165716351643
Jerzy Ossoliński15 December 1595 – 9 August 165016431650
Andrzej Leszczyński1608–165816501652
Stefan Koryciński1617 – 4 July 165816521658
Mikołaj Prażmowski1617 – 15 April 167316581666
Jan Leszczyński1603–167816661678
Jan Stefan Wydżga1610 – 6 September 168516781678
Jan Wielopolski1630 – 15 February 168816781688
Jerzy Albrecht Denhoff1640 – 170216881702
Karol Tarło1639 – 170217021702
Andrzej Chryzostom Załuski1650 – 12 May 171117021706
Jan Stanisław Jabłonowski1669 – 28 April 173117061709
Jan Szembek1672 – 9 April 173117121731
Andrzej Stanisław Załuski2 December 1695 – 16 December 175817351746
Jan Małachowski 26 January 1698 – 25 June 176217461762
Andrzej Zamoyski12 February 1716 – 10 February 179217641767
Andrzej Młodziejowski1717–178017671780
Jan Andrzej Borch1715–178017801780
Antoni Onufry Okęcki13 June 1729 – 15 June 179317801786
Jacek Małachowski25 August 1737 – 27 March 182117861793
Antoni Sułkowski11 June 1735 – 16 April 179617931795

Prime Ministers of the Duchy of Warsaw (1807–1813)

PortraitName
(Birth–Death)
Entered officeLeft officeMonarch
(Reign)
1 Stanisław Małachowski
(1736–1809)
5 October 180714 December 1807
Duke Frederick Augustus I

(1807–1813)
2 Ludwik Szymon Gutakowski
(1738-1811)
14 December 1807November 1808
3 Józef Poniatowski
(1763–1813)
Acting Prime Minister
November 180825 March 1809
4 Stanisław Kostka Potocki
(1755–1821)
25 March 1809May 1813

Presidents of the Polish National Government (1830–1831)

PortraitName
(Birth–Death)
Entered officeLeft office
1 Prince
Adam Jerzy Czartoryski
(1770–1861)
3 December 183015 August 1831
Józef Chłopicki
(1771–1854)
(dictator)
5 December 183017 January 1831
2 General
Jan Stefan Krukowiecki
(1772–1850)
17 August 18317 September 1831
3 Bonawentura Niemojowski
(1787–1835)
8 September 183123 September 1831
4 Jan Nepomucen Umiński
(1778–1851)
23 September 183123 September 1831
5 Maciej Rybiński
(1784–1874)
25 September 18319 October 1831

Presidents of the National Government of the Republic of Poland (1846)

PortraitName
(Birth–Death)
Entered officeLeft office

Tyssowski
National Government of the Republic of Poland (triumvirate):

Jan Tyssowski (President)
(1811–1857)
Ludwik Gorzkowski
(1811–1857)
Aleksander Grzegorzewski
(1806–1855)

22 February 184624 February 1846
Jan Tyssowski
(1811–1857)
(dictator)
24 February 18463 March 1846

President of the National Committee in Poznań (1848)

PortraitName
(Birth–Death)
Entered officeLeft office
1 Gustaw Potworowski
(1800–1860)
20 March 18489 May 1848

Presidents of the Polish National Government (1863–1864)

PortraitName
(Birth–Death)
Entered officeLeft office
1 Stefan Bobrowski
(1840–1863)
21 January 186317 February 1863
Ludwik Mierosławski
(1814–1878)
(dictator)
17 February 186311 March 1863
Marian Langiewicz
(1827–1887)
(dictator)
11 March 186318 March 1863
2 Stefan Bobrowski
(1840–1863)
21 March 186312 April 1863
3 Agaton Giller
(1831–1887)
12 April 186323 May 1863
4 Franciszek Dobrowolski
(1830–1896)
23 May 18639 June 1863
5 Piotr Kobylański
(1823–1868)
9 June 186310 June 1863
6 Karol Majewski
(1833–1897)
14 June 186317 September 1863
7 Franciszek Dobrowolski
(1830–1896)
17 September 186317 October 1863
8 Romuald Traugutt
(1826–1864)
(dictator.)
17 October 186310 April 1864
Aleksander Waszkowski
(1841–1865)
12 April 186419 December 1864
9 Bronisław Brzeziński
(1837–1865)
20 April 1864October 1864

Prime Ministers of the Kingdom of Poland (1917–1918)

Colour key (for political parties):
  National-Democratic Party (SDN)
  Party of the National Right (SPN)
  Independent

PortraitName
(Birth–Death)
Entered officeLeft officePolitical partyCabinet
1Jan Kucharzewski
(1876–1952)
26 November 191727 February 1918IndependentKucharzewski
Antoni Ponikowski
(1878–1949)
27 February 19184 April 1918National-Democratic PartyPonikowski
(provisional)
2Jan Kanty Steczkowski
(1862–1929)
4 April 191823 October 1918Party of the National RightSteczkowski
3Józef Świeżyński
(1868–1948)
23 October 19183 November 1918National-Democratic PartyŚwieżyński
Władysław Wróblewski
(1875–1951)
3 November 191814 November 1918IndependentWróblewski
(provisional)

Prime Ministers of the People's Republic (1918)

Colour key (for political parties):
  Polish Socialist Party (PPS)

PortraitName
(Birth–Death)
Entered officeLeft officePolitical partyCabinet
1 Ignacy Daszyński
(1866–1936)
7 November 191814 November 1918Polish Socialist PartyProvisional People's Government of the Republic of Poland

Note: Until 11 November, Daszyński was Prime Minister in the Polish People's Republic, based at Lublin, in the territory occupied by Austrian troops. On 11 November, he was invited to form a national government but failed and resigned three days later.

Prime Ministers of the Republic of Poland (1918–1939)

Colour key (for political parties):
  Polish Socialist Party (PPS)
  Polish People's Party "Piast" (PSL Piast)
  Popular National Union (ZLN)
  Polish Christian Democratic Party (PSChD)
  Party of the National Right (SPN)
  Nonpartisan Bloc for Cooperation with the Government (BBWR)
  Independent

PortraitName
(Birth–Death)
TenureMinisterial offices held as prime ministerPartyGovernment
Took officeLeft officeDuration
Jędrzej Moraczewski
(1870–1944)
17 November 191816 January 191961 daysMinister of Communication
(6 November 1918-29 December 1918)
Polish Socialist PartyMoraczewski
(PPSPiastWyzwoleniePSL Lewica)
Ignacy Jan Paderewski
(1860–1941)
16 January 19199 November 1919298 daysMinister of Foreign AffairsIndependentPaderewski
(ZLN–PPS–Wyzwolenie–SPN)
Leopold Skulski
(1878–1940)
13 November 19199 June 1920210 daysPolish People's Party "Piast"Skulski
(Piast–ZLN–Wyzwolenie–SPN–NPR)
Władysław Grabski
(1874–1938)
23 June 192024 July 192032 daysMinister of the TreasuryPopular National UnionGrabski I
(Piast–ZLN–Wyzwolenie)
Wincenty Witos
(1874–1945)
24 July 19205 September 19211 year, 44 daysPolish People's Party "Piast"Rząd Obrony Narodowej (Witos I)
(Piast–ZLN–PPS–ChNSP–Wyzwolenie–SPN–NPR)
Antoni Ponikowski
(1878–1949)
19 September 192110 March 19221 year, 261 daysMinister of Culture and Art
Minister of Public Enlightenment
Polish Christian Democratic PartyPonikowski I
(ChNSP–SPN)
5 March 19226 June 1922Ponikowski II
(ChNSP–SPN)
Artur Śliwiński
(1877–1953)
28 June 19227 July 192210 daysIndependentŚliwiński
Julian Nowak
(1865–1946)
31 July 192214 December 1922137 daysParty of the National RightNowak
(SPN)
Władysław Sikorski
(1881–1943)
16 December 192226 May 1923162 daysIndependentSikorski I
Wincenty Witos
(1874–1945)
28 May 192314 December 1923201 daysPolish People's Party "Piast"Witos II
(ZLN–Piast–ChNSP)
Władysław Grabski
(1874–1938)
19 December 192314 November 19251 year, 332 daysPopular National Union
Christian Union of National Unity
Grabski II
(ZLN–PSChD–PSL Wyzwolenie–SPN)
Aleksander Skrzyński
(1882–1931)
20 November 19255 May 1926167 daysParty of the National RightSkrzyński
(ZLN–Piast–PSChD–PPS–NPR–SPN)
Wincenty Witos
(1874–1945)
10 May 192614 May 19264 daysPolish People's Party "Piast"Witos III
(ZLN–Piast–PSChD–NPR)
Kazimierz Bartel
(1882–1941)
15 May 19264 June 1926138 daysNonpartisan Bloc for
Cooperation with the Government
Bartel I
8 June 192624 September 1926Minister of Iron RailwaysBartel II
27 September 192630 September 1926Bartel III
Józef Piłsudski
(1867–1935)
2 October 192627 June 19281 year, 270 daysMinister of Military AffairsIndependentPiłsudski I
Kazimierz Bartel
(1882–1941)
28 June 192813 April 1929288 daysNonpartisan Bloc for
Cooperation with the Government
Bartel IV
Kazimierz Świtalski
(1886–1962)
14 April 19297 December 1929238 daysNonpartisan Bloc for
Cooperation with the Government
Świtalski
Kazimierz Bartel
(1882–1941)
29 December 192915 March 193077 daysNonpartisan Bloc for
Cooperation with the Government
Bartel V
Walery Sławek
(1879–1939)
29 March 193023 August 1930148 daysNonpartisan Bloc for
Cooperation with the Government
Sławek I
Józef Piłsudski
(1867–1935)
25 August 19304 December 1930102 daysIndependentPiłsudski II
Walery Sławek
(1879–1939)
5 December 193026 May 1931173 daysNonpartisan Bloc for
Cooperation with the Government
Sławek II
Aleksander Prystor
(1874–1941)
28 May 193110 May 19331 year, 349 daysNonpartisan Bloc for
Cooperation with the Government
Prystor
Janusz Jędrzejewicz
(1885–1951)
10 May 193316 May 19341 year, 7 daysMinister of Public EnlightenmentNonpartisan Bloc for
Cooperation with the Government
Jędrzejewicz
Leon Kozłowski
(1892–1944)
16 May 193428 March 1935317 daysNonpartisan Bloc for
Cooperation with the Government
Kozłowski
Walery Sławek
(1879–1939)
28 March 193514 October 1935201 daysNonpartisan Bloc for
Cooperation with the Government
Sławek III
Marian Zyndram-Kościałkowski
(1892–1946)
13 October 193516 May 1936217 daysNonpartisan Bloc for
Cooperation with the Government
Zyndram-Kościałkowski
Felicjan Sławoj Składkowski
(1885–1962)
16 May 193630 September 19393 years, 138 daysMinister of Internal AffairsCamp of National UnitySkładkowski

Prime Ministers of the 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 recognised by the United Kingdom and the United States until 5 July 1945, when the Western Allies accepted Joseph Stalin's communist government. By the end of 1946, the government-in-exile had lost recognition by all but a handful of independent nations. Despite this, it continued in London until the election of Lech Wałęsa as President of the Republic of Poland in December 1990.

No.PortraitName
(born–died)
Term of officePolitical partyCabinetRef.
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
1 Władysław Sikorski
(1881–1943)
30 September 193919 July 1940293 daysIndependentSikorski II
2 August Zaleski
(1883–1972)
19 July 194025 July 19406 daysIndependent[1]
1 Władysław Sikorski
(1881–1943)
25 July 19404 July 19432 years, 344 daysIndependentSikorski III[1]
3 Stanisław Mikołajczyk
(1901–1966)
14 July 194324 November 19441 year, 133 daysPolish People's PartyMikołajczyk
4 Tomasz Arciszewski
(1877–1955)
29 November 194425 July 1945
(lost recognition by major Allied powers)
238 daysPolish Socialist PartyArciszewski

Prime Ministers of the Government-in-Exile (with little or no international recognition, 1945–1990)

No.PortraitName
(born–died)
Term of officePolitical partyCabinetRef.
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
4 Tomasz Arciszewski
(1877–1955)
25 July 19452 July 19471 year, 342 daysPolish Socialist PartyArciszewski
5 Tadeusz Bór-Komorowski
(1895–1966)
2 July 194710 February 19491 year, 223 daysIndependentBór-Komorowski
6 Tadeusz Tomaszewski
(1881–1950)
7 April 194925 September 19501 year, 171 daysIndependentTomaszewski
7 Roman Odzierzyński
(1892–1975)
25 December 19508 December 19533 years, 74 daysIndependentOdzierzyński
8 Jerzy Hryniewski
(1895–1978)
18 January 195413 May 1954115 daysPolish Independence League [pl]Hryniewski
9 Stanisław Mackiewicz
(1896–1966)
8 June 195421 June 19551 year, 13 daysIndependentMackiewicz
10Hugon Hanke
(1904–1964)
8 August 195510 September 195533 daysLabour FactionHanke
11 Antoni Pająk
(1893–1965)
10 September 195514 June 19659 years, 277 daysPolish Socialist PartyPająk I–II
12 Aleksander Zawisza
(1896–1977)
25 June 19659 June 19704 years, 349 daysIndependentZawisza I–II–III
13Zygmunt Muchniewski
(1896–1979)
20 July 197013 July 19721 year, 359 daysLabour FactionMuchniewski
14 Alfred Urbański
(1899–1983)
18 July 197215 July 19763 years, 363 daysPolish Socialist PartyUrbański I–II
15 Kazimierz Sabbat
(1913–1989)
5 August 19768 April 19869 years, 246 daysIndependentSabbat I–II–III–IV
16 Edward Szczepanik
(1915–2005)
8 April 198622 December 19904 years, 258 daysIndependentSzczepanik I–II

Chairmen of the Executive for National Unity (1954–1972)

In 1954, one group within the government-in-exile opposed the continuation of August Zaleski as President of the government-in-exile beyond the end of his seven-year term. They established the Council of National Unity, vested the powers of the President in the Rada Trzech (three-man council), and appointed their own government, the Executive for National Unity. After the death of Zaleski in 1972, the Council of National Unity dissolved and ceded its powers to Zaleski's successor Stanisław Ostrowski.

Prime Ministers of the Polish People's Republic (1944–1989)

Colour key (for political parties):
  Polish Socialist Party (PPS)
  Polish United Workers' Party (PZPR)
  Solidarity Citizens' Committee (KO‘S')

PortraitName
(Birth–Death)
Entered officeLeft officePolitical partyCabinet
1 Edward Osóbka-Morawski
(1909–1997)
22 July 194431 December 1944Polish Socialist PartyPolish Committee of National Liberation
31 December 194428 June 1945Provisional Government of the Republic of Poland
28 June 19456 February 1947Provisional Government of National Unity
2 Józef Cyrankiewicz
(1911–1989)
6 February 194720 November 1952Polish Socialist PartyCyrankiewicz I
Polish United Workers' Party
(from December 1948)
3 Bolesław Bierut
(1892–1956)
20 November 195218 March 1954Polish United Workers' PartyBierut
(2) Józef Cyrankiewicz
(1911–1989)
18 March 195415 May 1961Polish United Workers' PartyCyrankiewicz II
18 May 196124 June 1965Cyrankiewicz III
25 June 196527 June 1969Cyrankiewicz IV
28 June 196923 December 1970Cyrankiewicz V
4 Piotr Jaroszewicz
(1909–1992)
23 December 197028 March 1972Polish United Workers' Party(Cyrankiewicz V)
28 March 197225 March 1976Jaroszewicz I
27 March 197618 February 1980Jaroszewicz II
5 Edward Babiuch
(1927–2021)
18 February 198024 August 1980Polish United Workers' PartyBabiuch
6 Józef Pińkowski
(1929–2000)
24 August 198011 February 1981Polish United Workers' PartyPińkowski
7 Wojciech Jaruzelski
(1923–2014)
11 February 19816 November 1985Polish United Workers' PartyJaruzelski
8 Zbigniew Messner
(1929–2014)
6 November 198527 September 1988Polish United Workers' PartyMessner
9 Mieczysław Rakowski
(1926–2008)
27 September 19882 August 1989Polish United Workers' PartyRakowski
10 Czesław Kiszczak
(1925–2015)
(lost vote of confidence)
2 August 198924 August 1989Polish United Workers' PartyKiszczak
11 Tadeusz Mazowiecki
(1927–2013)
(during democratic transition)
24 August 198931 December 1989
(People's Republic
abolished.
)
Solidarity Citizens' CommitteeMazowiecki

Prime Ministers of the Republic of Poland (1989–present)

Political parties
Christian Democrats

  Polish People's Party (2)
  Solidarity Electoral Action (1)

Conservatives

  Centre Agreement / Law and Justice (5)

Liberals

  Solidarity Citizens' Committee / Democratic Union (2)
  Liberal Democratic Congress (1)
  Civic Platform (3)

Social Democrats

  Social Democracy / Democratic Left Alliance (4)

PortraitName
Sejm District
(Birth–Death)
TenureMinisterial offices held as prime ministerPartyGovernmentSejm
(Election)
President
(Term)
Took officeLeft officeDuration

Tadeusz Mazowiecki
None
(1927–2013)
24 August 19894 January 19911 year, 134 daysSolidarity Citizens' CommitteeMazowiecki
(KO‘S'ZSLPZPRSD)
Contract
(1989)
1President
Wojciech Jaruzelski

(1989–1990)
Democratic Union
2President
Lech Wałęsa

(1990–1995)
Jan Krzysztof Bielecki
Gdańsk - 21
(born 1951)
4 January 19916 December 1991337 daysLiberal Democratic CongressBielecki
(KLDZChNPC–SD)
Jan Olszewski
Warsaw - 17
(1930–2019)
6 December 19915 June 1992
(no confidence vote)
183 daysCentre AgreementOlszewski
(PC–ZChN–PSL.PL)
I
(1991)
Waldemar Pawlak
Płock - 3
(born 1959)
5 June 199211 July 199237 daysPolish People's PartyPawlak I
Hanna Suchocka
Poznań - 18
(born 1946)
11 July 199226 October 19931 year, 108 daysDemocratic UnionSuchocka
(UD–KLD–ZChN–PChD
PPPP–PSL.PL)
Waldemar Pawlak
Płock - 34
(born 1959)
26 October 19937 March 19951 year, 133 daysPolish People's PartyPawlak II
(SLDPSLBBWR)
II
(1993)
Józef Oleksy
Siedlce - 39
(1946–2015)
7 March 19957 February 1996338 daysSocial DemocracyOleksy
(SLD–PSL)
3President
Aleksander Kwaśniewski

(1995–2005)
Włodzimierz Cimoszewicz
Białystok - 4
(born 1950)
7 February 199631 October 19971 year, 267 daysCimoszewicz
(SLD–PSL)
Jerzy Buzek
Gliwice - 17
(born 1940)
31 October 199719 October 20013 years, 354 days
  • Chairman
    of the European Integration Committee (1998–2001)
Solidarity Electoral ActionBuzek
(AWSUW)
III
(1997)
Leszek Miller
Łódź - 9
(born 1946)
19 October 20012 May 20042 years, 197 days
  • Chairman
    of the European Integration Committee
Democratic Left AllianceMiller
(SLDUP–PSL)
IV
(2001)
Marek Belka
None
(born 1952)
2 May 200411 June 20041 year, 183 days
Belka I
(SLD–UP)
11 June 200431 October 2005Belka II
(SLD–UP)
Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz
Zielona Góra - 8
(born 1959)
31 October 200514 July 2006257 days
  • Chairman
    of the European Integration Committee (2006)
Law and JusticeMarcinkiewicz
(PiSSRPLPR)
V
(2005)
4President
Lech Kaczyński

(2005–2010)
Jarosław Kaczyński
Warsaw - 19
(born 1949)
14 July 200616 November 20071 year, 126 daysKaczyński
(PiS–SRP–LPR)
Donald Tusk
Warsaw - 19
(born 1957)
16 November 200718 November 20116 years, 311 days
  • Chairman
    of the European Integration Committee (2007–2009)
Civic PlatformTusk I
(POPSL)
VI
(2007)
5President
Bronisław Komorowski

(2010–2015)
18 November 201122 September 2014Tusk II
(PO–PSL)
VII
(2011)
Ewa Kopacz
Warsaw - 17
(born 1956)
22 September 201416 November 20151 year, 56 daysKopacz
(PO–PSL)
6President
Andrzej Duda

(2015–present)
Beata Szydło
Chrzanów - 12
(born 1963)
16 November 201511 December 20172 years, 26 daysLaw and JusticeSzydłoVIII
(2015)
Mateusz Morawiecki
None (until 2019)
Katowice II - 31 (from 2019)
(born 1968)
11 December 201715 November 20196 years, 3 days
Morawiecki I
15 November 201927 November 2023Morawiecki IIIX
(2019)
27 November 202313 December 2023Morawiecki IIIX
(2023)
Donald Tusk
Warsaw - 19
(born 1957)
13 December 2023Incumbent210 daysCivic PlatformTusk III
(KO–PSL-PL2050NL)

1 Invited to form a government by the President, but failed to form a government and resigned

Timeline

Mateusz MorawieckiBeata SzydłoEwa KopaczDonald TuskJarosław KaczyńskiKazimierz MarcinkiewiczMarek BelkaLeszek MillerJerzy BuzekWłodzimierz CimoszewiczJózef OleksyHanna SuchockaWaldemar PawlakJan OlszewskiJan Krzysztof BieleckiTadeusz MazowieckiCzesław KiszczakMieczysław RakowskiZbigniew MessnerWojciech JaruzelskiJózef PińkowskiEdward BabiuchPiotr JaroszewiczBolesław BierutJózef CyrankiewiczEdward Osóbka-Morawski

See also

References