In the postmodern era, Europe, including Poland, is strikingly characterised
by the migration of citizens, caused among others by the process of European integration
or globalisation, enhanced by the fact that territorial, transport and language barriers
cease to exist. There are two types of migration: external (among countries) and internal
(among regions or municipal units). The process mentioned, apart from all its positive
aspects, may simultaneously lead to a weakening or even loss of local identity as well
as social bonds on the local level. These two elements, however, are absolutely vital for
the proper functioning of a local self-government community. The process of erosion of
social bonds is also infl uenced by a consumerist and hedonist lifestyle. Therefore, a question
arises about the future shape of the self-governmental community, which consists of
all the inhabitants of a principal unit of administrative division of a country. Such a community
with its territory constitutes the local self-government, which not only takes part
in exercising public authority, but also as a result of the process of decentralising public
authority, accomplishes an essential part of its objectives. Thus, the fi rst element of the
presentation will be introducing the political shape of the local self-government, set by
the norms laid out in the constitution and the European Charter of Local Self-government,
based on legal dogmatics and empirical method (analysis of the jurisdiction of the Constitutional Tribunal, the Supreme Court and the Supreme Administrative Court). Second,
the presentation will attempt to verify the thesis concerning the level of threats for the
future functioning of the institutions of the local self-government, caused by contemporary
social, economic and cultural changes. A measurable factor verifying the thesis will
consist in the analysis of the participation of the local communities in the direct way of
exercising authority by the members of the self-governmental community, namely the attendance
in local elections). A positive answer to the thesis formed may constitute a basis
for de lege ferenda conclusions, concerning the shape of local self-government institutions
in Poland
