National Council (Poland)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

National Council (Polish: Rada Narodowa) was a local level of government in People's Republic of Poland. Introduced by Polish Constitution of 1952, they were elected for a term of office of 3 years in gminas, cities (and some districts), powiats and voivodships. National Councils had their own presidiums and were subordinate to higher-level National Councils.

They were meant to give the communist government a facade of democracy. In fact the elections were non-free, and National Councils had little autonomy, being almost completely dependent on decisions of Polish United Workers Party (PZPR).