Constitutions of Poland |
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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.
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The Small Constitution declared that Poland has a parliamentary system, although it didn't define Poland as a republic.[1]
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.