Institutional Development of Municipalities and the Constitutional Principle of Equality Before the Law in Access to Public Services

The article examines the relationship between the level of institutional development of municipalities in Poland and the implementation of the constitutional principle of equality before the law in access to public services. The aim of the study is to assess the extent to which institutional development contributes to ensuring equal opportunities in the use of public services by individuals with diverse needs, taking into account differences arising from the type of municipality. The analyses are based on survey research conducted within the project “Public Services Accessibility Observatory” on a sample of 751 municipal offices, as well as on an original Synthetic Measure of Accessibility (SMA) encompassing architectural, digital, and information and communication accessibility, together with accessibility management (procedures, staff training, coordination, and systematic data analysis through diagnosis, audit, monitoring, and evaluation). The findings make it possible to identify spatial and institutional disparities in the implementation of the principle of equality in access to public services and to indicate deficit areas requiring support and further development.