Polish legislative election, 1928
Encyclopedia
The Polish legislative election, 1928 lasted from 4 to 11 March and was the third election in the Second Polish Republic
. Bezpartyjny Blok Współpracy z Rządem (Non-partisan Bloc of Collaboration with the Government)) - a coalition of the Sanacja
faction - won the highest number of seats (125 out of 444 in Sejm
(Polish parliament) - 28.12% of the total, and 48 out of 111 in the Senate of Poland
- 43.24% of the total), but unlike later elections, those of 1928 were still considered free and opposition parties also gained a significant number of seats. The 1928 election is generally considered the last free election in Poland until 1989 (or 1991).
Thirty-four parties took part in the 1928 elections. Piłsudski was supported by BBWR led by Walery Sławek, which campaigned for a more authoritative government, declaring its total support for Piłsudski and proclaiming itself to be a patriotic, non-partisan and pro-government formation. Other factions in contemporary Polish politics and their primary parties included: the Left, consisting of the Polish Socialist Party
(PPS, Polska Partia Socialistyczna) of Ignacy Daszyński
; the Polish Communists (Komunistyczna Partia Polski); two Polish Peasant Party
(PSL, Polskie Stronnictwo Ludowe) factions (PSL Wyzwolenie of Jan Woźnicki and Stronnictwo Chłopskie of Jan Dąbski
); the Right (endecja
, represented by the National Populist Association (Związek Ludowo-Narodowy) of Stanisław Głąbiński); the Center, composed of the PSL faction, the PSL Piast of Wincenty Witos
, Christian Democracy (Chrzescijańska Demokracja) of Wojciech Korfanty
and the National Workers Party
(Narodowa Partia Robotnicza) of Adam Chadzyński; and finally, the Minorities, represented by the Bloc of National Minorities
(Blok Mniejszości Narodowych).
The government applied much pressure to ensure victory for its candidates. Propaganda media were distributed, Sanacja supporters tried to break up opposition rallies and some opposition lists and candidates were declared invalid by ostensibly neutral government institutions. Pressure was put on state employees to vote for the BBWR and to participate in its electoral campaign. Public funds were diverted to the BBWR, which had ready use of government facilities.
Despite these irregularities, the 1928 election is generally considered the last free election in Poland until 1989 (or 1991) as the opposition parties were still able to campaign and put forward candidates, and the results were not falsified.
being the lowest). The BBWR government bloc won the highest number of seats (125 out of 444 in Sejm
(Polish parliament) - 28.12% of the total, and 48 out of 111 in the Senate of Poland
- 43.24% of the total); the opposition parties, however, gained a majority of the remaining seats, with the left - including Polish Communists - doing much better than the traditional Polish Right . Groth notes that the elections showed a progressively increasing fragmentation of the Polish electorate; a steady and significant increase in the proportion of ethnic minority voting; the rapid rise of the Polish Socialist Party
as a major force within the far less stable and cohesive Polish Left; and the substantial weakening of the Right by Piłsudski's supporters, as the BBWR, despite its claims of being above traditional party divisions in fact attracted support mostly from the Right.
Although the opposition to Sanacja failed to gain control of the Sejm, it was able to show its strength and prevent Sanacja from taking control of the Sejm. This convinced Piłsudski and his supporters that more drastic measures had to be taken in dealing with the opposition. Opposition politicians became increasingly persecuted and threatened.
Opposition parties formed the Centrolew
coalition to oppose the government of Sanacja. Their actions led to a vote of no confidence for the Sanacja government and dissolution of the parliament. New elections
were held in 1930; however, the Sanacja succeeded in having many Centrolew politicians arrested; and the 1930 elections are not considered free.
Second Polish Republic
The Second Polish Republic, Second Commonwealth of Poland or interwar Poland refers to Poland between the two world wars; a period in Polish history in which Poland was restored as an independent state. Officially known as the Republic of Poland or the Commonwealth of Poland , the Polish state was...
. Bezpartyjny Blok Współpracy z Rządem (Non-partisan Bloc of Collaboration with the Government)) - a coalition of the Sanacja
Sanacja
Sanation was a Polish political movement that came to power after Józef Piłsudski's May 1926 Coup d'État. Sanation took its name from his watchword—the moral "sanation" of the Polish body politic...
faction - won the highest number of seats (125 out of 444 in Sejm
Sejm
The Sejm is the lower house of the Polish parliament. The Sejm is made up of 460 deputies, or Poseł in Polish . It is elected by universal ballot and is presided over by a speaker called the Marshal of the Sejm ....
(Polish parliament) - 28.12% of the total, and 48 out of 111 in the Senate of Poland
Senate of Poland
The Senate is the upper house of the Polish parliament, the lower house being the 'Sejm'. The history of the Polish Senate is rich in tradition and stretches back over 500 years, it was one of the first constituent bodies of a bicameral parliament in Europe and existed without hiatus until the...
- 43.24% of the total), but unlike later elections, those of 1928 were still considered free and opposition parties also gained a significant number of seats. The 1928 election is generally considered the last free election in Poland until 1989 (or 1991).
Background
The 1928 elections were the first elections after Józef Piłsudski's May Coup in 1926.Thirty-four parties took part in the 1928 elections. Piłsudski was supported by BBWR led by Walery Sławek, which campaigned for a more authoritative government, declaring its total support for Piłsudski and proclaiming itself to be a patriotic, non-partisan and pro-government formation. Other factions in contemporary Polish politics and their primary parties included: the Left, consisting of the Polish Socialist Party
Polish Socialist Party
The Polish Socialist Party was one of the most important Polish left-wing political parties from its inception in 1892 until 1948...
(PPS, Polska Partia Socialistyczna) of Ignacy Daszyński
Ignacy Daszynski
Ignacy Ewaryst Daszyński was a Polish politician, journalist and Prime Minister of the Polish government created in Lublin in 1918....
; the Polish Communists (Komunistyczna Partia Polski); two Polish Peasant Party
Polish Peasant Party
The Polish People's Party , is a centrist, agrarian, and Christian democratic political party in Poland. It currently has 31 members of the Sejm, one member of the Senate, and three Members of the European Parliament. It is the junior partner in a coalition with Civic Platform.The party was...
(PSL, Polskie Stronnictwo Ludowe) factions (PSL Wyzwolenie of Jan Woźnicki and Stronnictwo Chłopskie of Jan Dąbski
Jan Dabski
Jan Dąbski was a Polish politician.Founder of Polskie Stronnictwo Ludowe Piast in 1913. He was the chief negotiator for Poland at the peace negotiations in Riga after the Polish-Soviet war . Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland in 1921...
); the Right (endecja
Endecja
National Democracy was a Polish right-wing nationalist political movement active from the latter 19th century to the end of the Second Polish Republic in 1939. A founder and principal ideologue was Roman Dmowski...
, represented by the National Populist Association (Związek Ludowo-Narodowy) of Stanisław Głąbiński); the Center, composed of the PSL faction, the PSL Piast of Wincenty Witos
Wincenty Witos
Wincenty Witos was a prominent member of the Polish People's Party from 1895, and leader of its "Piast" faction from 1913. He was a member of parliament in the Galician Sejm from 1908–1914, and an envoy to Reichsrat in Vienna from 1911 to 1918...
, Christian Democracy (Chrzescijańska Demokracja) of Wojciech Korfanty
Wojciech Korfanty
Wojciech Korfanty , born Adalbert Korfanty, was a Polish nationalist activist, journalist and politician, serving as member of the German parliaments Reichstag and Prussian Landtag, and later on, in the Polish Sejm...
and the National Workers Party
National Workers Party
The National Workers Party can refer to:*National Workers Party , a left-wing party.*National Workers Party , a far right party.*National Workers Party a far right party led by A. F. X. Baron...
(Narodowa Partia Robotnicza) of Adam Chadzyński; and finally, the Minorities, represented by the Bloc of National Minorities
Bloc of National Minorities
Blok Mniejszości Narodowych , was a political party in the Second Polish Republic, representing a coalition of various ethnic minorities in Poland, primarily Ukrainians, Belarusians, Jews and Germans. The Bloc was co-founded by Yitzhak Gruenbaum, a Polish-Jewish politician...
(Blok Mniejszości Narodowych).
The government applied much pressure to ensure victory for its candidates. Propaganda media were distributed, Sanacja supporters tried to break up opposition rallies and some opposition lists and candidates were declared invalid by ostensibly neutral government institutions. Pressure was put on state employees to vote for the BBWR and to participate in its electoral campaign. Public funds were diverted to the BBWR, which had ready use of government facilities.
Despite these irregularities, the 1928 election is generally considered the last free election in Poland until 1989 (or 1991) as the opposition parties were still able to campaign and put forward candidates, and the results were not falsified.
Results
| Party | Sejm seats | Senate seats | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bezpartyjny Blok Współpracy z Rządem | 125 | 48 | |
| Polska Partia Socjalistyczna | 64 | 10 | |
| Blok Mniejszości Narodowych | 61 | 22 | |
| Polskie Stronnictwo Ludowe Wyzwolenie | 41 | 7 | |
| Związek Ludowo-Narodowy | 38 | 9 | |
| Chrzescijańska Demokracja | 34 | 6 | |
| Polskie Stronnictwo Ludowe Piast | 30 | 2 | |
| Stronnictwo Chłopskie | 25 | 3 | |
| Narodowa Partia Robotnicza | 11 | 3 | |
| Związek Robotników i Chłopów | 7 | 0 | |
| Independent | 8 | 1 | |
| Total | 444 | 111 | |
Aftermath
Slightly less than half of those entitled to vote did vote; it was one of the lowest turnouts in the history of Polish elections (with the Polish legislative election, 1935Polish legislative election, 1935
The Polish legislative election, 1935 took place on 8 to 15 September of that year. It was the next to last election held in the Second Polish Republic....
being the lowest). The BBWR government bloc won the highest number of seats (125 out of 444 in Sejm
Sejm
The Sejm is the lower house of the Polish parliament. The Sejm is made up of 460 deputies, or Poseł in Polish . It is elected by universal ballot and is presided over by a speaker called the Marshal of the Sejm ....
(Polish parliament) - 28.12% of the total, and 48 out of 111 in the Senate of Poland
Senate of Poland
The Senate is the upper house of the Polish parliament, the lower house being the 'Sejm'. The history of the Polish Senate is rich in tradition and stretches back over 500 years, it was one of the first constituent bodies of a bicameral parliament in Europe and existed without hiatus until the...
- 43.24% of the total); the opposition parties, however, gained a majority of the remaining seats, with the left - including Polish Communists - doing much better than the traditional Polish Right . Groth notes that the elections showed a progressively increasing fragmentation of the Polish electorate; a steady and significant increase in the proportion of ethnic minority voting; the rapid rise of the Polish Socialist Party
Polish Socialist Party
The Polish Socialist Party was one of the most important Polish left-wing political parties from its inception in 1892 until 1948...
as a major force within the far less stable and cohesive Polish Left; and the substantial weakening of the Right by Piłsudski's supporters, as the BBWR, despite its claims of being above traditional party divisions in fact attracted support mostly from the Right.
Although the opposition to Sanacja failed to gain control of the Sejm, it was able to show its strength and prevent Sanacja from taking control of the Sejm. This convinced Piłsudski and his supporters that more drastic measures had to be taken in dealing with the opposition. Opposition politicians became increasingly persecuted and threatened.
Opposition parties formed the Centrolew
Centrolew
The Centrolew was a coalition of several Polish political parties after the 1928 Sejm elections...
coalition to oppose the government of Sanacja. Their actions led to a vote of no confidence for the Sanacja government and dissolution of the parliament. New elections
Polish legislative election, 1930
Polish legislative election, 1930, also known as the Brest elections , were the elections to the Sejm on 16 November 1930. The pro-Sanacja Bezpartyjny Blok Współpracy z Rządem party took 56% of the votes...
were held in 1930; however, the Sanacja succeeded in having many Centrolew politicians arrested; and the 1930 elections are not considered free.
Further reading
- A. J. Groth, Polish Elections 1919-1928, Slavic ReviewSlavic ReviewSlavic Review is a leading international peer-reviewed academic journal publishing scholarly studies and book reviews in all disciplines concerned with Russia, Central Eurasia, and Eastern and Central Europe...
, Vol. 24, No. 4 (Dec., 1965), pp. 653-665 JSTOR