Establishment of and Behind the Scenes of the Adoption at the Transitive Act of May 18, 1921 to the Constitutional Act of March 17, 1921 on the Temporary Organization of the Supreme Power of the Republic of Poland

Abstract

On February 10, 1919, the Legislative Seym met for the first session, whose main goal was to prepare a draft of the basic law for the reborn Poland. Over the next few months, in a specially created constitutional commission, work was carried out to create and submit to the Legislative Seym a draft of a new constitution. However, in order to ensure at least the basic framework for the functioning of the state, on February 20, 1919, a resolution of the Legislative Seym was passed entrusting Józef Piłsudski with the further exercise of the office of the Head of State. This resolution, commonly known as the Small Constitution, was formally in force until June 1, 1921, i.e. the day the March Constitution was announced. Despite the formal repeal of these provisions, they continued to function. In relation to the Seym, the provisions of the Small Constitution were formally in force until November 28, 1922, and in relation to the Head of State until December 14, 1922. However, due to noticing a legislative error in the Small Constitution and in the passing regulations, the provisions of the March Constitution were adopted on May 18, 1921; the Act passed to the Constitutional Act of March 17, 1921 on the temporary organization of the supreme power of the Republic, which “patched up” the incorrectly formulated provisions in the Small Constitution. The work was based on the literature on the Basic Law of 1921, draft laws and amendments presented in the Constitutional Committee, as well as on numerous shorthandings from the sessions of the Legislative Seym, the Seym of the Republic of Poland and the National Assembly.