[3] Following their nomination, all members of the cabinet take the oath of office within the Column Room of the Presidential Palace, in a ceremony officiated by the president.

[4] Within fourteen days of its appointment, the cabinet, headed by the prime minister, is obligated to submit an agenda to the Sejm together with a vote of confidence.

[5] Should the vote of confidence fail, the process of government formation passes to the Sejm, which will then nominate a prime minister within fourteen days, who will then again propose the composition of the cabinet.

[6] An absolute majority of votes in the presence of at least half of all Sejm deputies is required to approve of the cabinet, which the president will then accept and administer their oaths of office.

[7] If the vote of confidence fails a third time, the president is obliged to shorten the Sejm's term of office and order new elections.

[8] However, since the adoption of the Constitution of 1997, all cabinets have successfully received a vote of confidence for their mandates, and have never required all of the reserve protocols of government formation to take place.

First are the 'department ministers,' who exercise authority and responsibility within the central government's administration, including ministries, subordinate departments and other institutions.

[2] Less important members of the cabinet are the 'ministers without portfolio,' who do not direct any of the government's administrative bodies, yet perform tasks designated to them specifically by the prime minister.

[19] Due to its constitutional mandate, the council of ministers acts as the main pillar of political authority, directing state administration, Poland's foreign policy, and much of the republic's domestic policy, unless some competences are reserved (by statute) to other organs or to local authorities.

[10] Due to the republic's parliamentary system,[citation needed] the Council of Ministers are collectively and individually responsible to the Sejm for the operations of the government.

[23] Similarly, if the Council of Ministers loses its majority support within the Sejm, the cabinet can be forced to resign in a constructive vote of no confidence.

[27] After its resignation, the cabinet is entrusted to continue administering state functions until the appointment and oaths of office of the new government.