The Evolution and Instrumentalization of Parliamentary Investigative Powers: The Experience of Polish and American Committees

Abstract

The aim of the article is to analyze the evolution of parliamentary investigative powers, including parliamentary investigative committees in Poland and congressional investigative committees and subcommittees examining specific matters in the United States, in the context of their role as instruments of parliamentary control in democratic systems. The starting point of the study is the hypothesis formulated as the assumption that the political instrumentalization of committees of inquiry in both countries leads to the erosion of their proper control role and, consequently, to their transformation into tools of ongoing partisan rivalry. The study employs the dogmatic-legal, theoretical-legal, and historical-legal methods, which allow for tracing the development and practical functioning of these bodies in both political systems. The conclusions from the analysis indicate that the excessive politicization of investigative committees leads to negative consequences both for the public perception of this institution and for the effectiveness of its control function. Instead of serving as a check on power and guaranteeing the transparency of public life, these committees are increasingly becoming arenas for partisan disputes, resulting in diminished credibility and weakening public trust in parliament as a control institution.