Small Constitution of 1919

The Small Constitution of 1919 was the "Legislative Sejm's ordinance of February 20, 1919, entrusting Józef Piłsudski with the further execution of the office of Chief of State" (Polish: "Uchwała Sejmu Ustawodawczego z dnia 20 lutego 1919 r. w sprawie powierzenia Józefowi Piłsudskiemu dalszego sprawowania urzędu Naczelnika Państwa"). The legislation was published as "Dz. Pr. P.P. Nr 19, poz. 226".

Provisions

The Small Constitution declared that Poland has a parliamentary system, although it didn't define Poland as a republic. [Ajnenkiel 1983, 228.]

Executive powers were held by the Chief of State. He could name the ministers (with the consent of the "Sejm"); he and the ministers were responsible before the "Sejm". The Chief of State (previously the "Provisional" Chief of State) no longer had legislative initiative and could not dismiss the "Sejm"; all his acts required the signature of the relevant minister.

The Small Constitution was adopted and published on February 20, 1919, and went into effect a week later, on the February 27, 1919. It was amended on February 25, 1920, and was supplanted on June 1, 1921, by the March 1921 Constitution.

Footnotes

References

*

External links

* [http://www.staff.amu.edu.pl/~wroblew/html/konst/pl/Ma%b3a%20Konstytucja%201919%20-%20tekst%20wlasny.doc Full text of Small Constitution] at the Adam Mickiewicz University website