Rada Trzech
Encyclopedia
The Council of Three was a collegial body created by the Polish Government in Exile
in 1954 with prerogative
s of the President of Poland. It consisted of three members of the government chosen by the Rada Jedności Narodowej (Council of National Unity), a rump parliament in exile.
It was created in 1954, after president August Zaleski
declined to leave his office after his seven-year term ended. According to the Polish April 1935 constitution
, the legal basis for the existence of the government in exile, the president was allowed to choose his successor "during a war, in case his office falls vacant before the peace treaty is signed". The post-war Akt Zjednoczenia Narodowego (National Unity Act) agreement among all the major political parties assumed that presidents were to choose their successors every seven years; however, this was rejected by Zaleski.
Initially, the Rada Trzech was a self-proclaimed committee of opposition to Zaleski, but on July 21, 1956 the Rada Jedności Narodowej granted it powers of the Polish head of state
. It was dissolved in July 1972, following August Zaleski's death, April 7 of the same year. The Rada Trzech ceded its powers to Zaleski's successor, Stanisław Ostrowski.
The seat of the latter was taken by:
Polish government in Exile
The Polish government-in-exile, formally known as the Government of the Republic of Poland in Exile , was the government in exile of Poland formed in the aftermath of the Invasion of Poland of September 1939, and the subsequent occupation of Poland by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, which...
in 1954 with prerogative
Prerogative
In law, a prerogative is an exclusive right given from a government or state and invested in an individual or group, the content of which is separate from the body of rights enjoyed under the general law of the normative state...
s of the President of Poland. It consisted of three members of the government chosen by the Rada Jedności Narodowej (Council of National Unity), a rump parliament in exile.
It was created in 1954, after president August Zaleski
August Zaleski
August Zaleski was a Polish economist, politician, and diplomat. Twice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland, he served as the President of Poland within the Polish Government in Exile.- Biography :...
declined to leave his office after his seven-year term ended. According to the Polish April 1935 constitution
Constitution
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
, the legal basis for the existence of the government in exile, the president was allowed to choose his successor "during a war, in case his office falls vacant before the peace treaty is signed". The post-war Akt Zjednoczenia Narodowego (National Unity Act) agreement among all the major political parties assumed that presidents were to choose their successors every seven years; however, this was rejected by Zaleski.
Initially, the Rada Trzech was a self-proclaimed committee of opposition to Zaleski, but on July 21, 1956 the Rada Jedności Narodowej granted it powers of the Polish head of state
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
. It was dissolved in July 1972, following August Zaleski's death, April 7 of the same year. The Rada Trzech ceded its powers to Zaleski's successor, Stanisław Ostrowski.
Members
The members of the Rada Trzech were:- General Władysław Anders (until 1970)
- Edward RaczyńskiEdward Raczynski (1891-1993)Edward Bernard Raczyński was a Polish aristocrat, diplomat, writer, politician and President of Poland in exile ....
(until 1972) - Tomasz ArciszewskiTomasz ArciszewskiTomasz Arciszewski was a Polish socialist politician, a member of the Polish Socialist Party and the Prime Minister of the Polish government-in-exile in London from 1944 to 1947, presiding over the period when the government lost the recognition of the Western powers.-Early life:Tomasz Arciszewski...
(until 1955)
The seat of the latter was taken by:
- General Tadeusz Bór-KomorowskiTadeusz Bór-KomorowskiGeneral Count Tadeusz Komorowski , better known by the name Bór-Komorowski was a Polish military leader....
(1956-1966) - General Roman OdzierzyńskiRoman OdzierzynskiRoman Odzierzyński was prime minister in the Polish Government in Exile....
(1966-1968) - Stanisław Mglej (1968-1969)
- Alfred UrbańskiAlfred UrbanskiAlfred Urbański was a Polish politician, a member of the Polish Socialist Party , primarily known for his political activities within the Polish Government in Exile....
(1969-1972) - General Stanisław Kopański (1970-1972)