Call for Papers: IACL Warsaw Roundtable 2026

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Parliamentarism and Electoral Systems in the 21st Century

Warsaw, Poland | 23–24 November 2026

The Chancellery of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland, in cooperation with the International Association of Constitutional Law (IACL-AIDC), invites submissions for the forthcoming IACL Warsaw Roundtable (WRT) on the theme "Parliamentarism and Electoral Systems in the 21st Century", to be held in Warsaw on 23–24 November 2026.

The Roundtable aims to explore contemporary challenges facing parliamentary democracy and electoral systems. In a context marked by increasing pressures on democratic institutions, participants are invited to reflect on how electoral systems can promote both effective governance and meaningful political representation, as well as on the evolving role of parliaments in democratic societies.

Topics of interest

Proposals may address, among other themes:

  • Current challenges in electoral law;

  • Voting systems;

  • Manipulation of electoral systems;

  • Models of parliamentarism;

  • Political culture and its significance for parliamentarism;

  • Parliamentary legitimacy and the effectiveness of parliamentary work;

  • Intra-parliamentary democracy;

  • The internal organisation of parliament;

  • Parliament and the responsibility of the highest state officials in the exercise of power.

Senior and junior scholars

The organisers particularly welcome contributions from senior scholars examining the old and new challenges of democratic electoral systems and the oversight functions of parliament.

Junior scholars – defined as PhD candidates and early-career researchers within seven years of completing their doctorate – are especially encouraged to submit proposals on the theme of "Parliament in the World of Artificial Intelligence".

Submission guidelines

Applicants are invited to submit:

  • a curriculum vitae; and

  • an abstract in English or French (maximum 500 words).

Submissions should be sent by 20 August 2026 (GMT+2, Warsaw time) to: m.zubik@uw.edu.pl

Please include "Parliamentarism and Electoral Systems" in the subject line of the email. Applicants will be notified of the outcome by 31 August 2026.

Practical information

There is no registration fee. The Chancellery of the Sejm will cover two nights of accommodation for speakers, and refreshments and lunch will be provided during the Roundtable.

Extended abstract draft papers (maximum 2,000 words, including footnotes) will be due by 1 November 2026. Papers presented in English may be considered for publication in a special edited volume of The Sejm Review, subject to peer review.