The parliamentary elections in Poland according to Electoral Law of 1935

Abstract

The April Constitution of Poland passed on 23 April 1935 limited the powers of the Sejm and Senate while strengthening the authority of the President of Poland. Thereby it was necessary to introduce new rules to electoral law consistent with the new Constitution. The Electoral Law in relation to Elections to the Sejm and the Senate of 8 July 1935 conducted many new regulations. The elections to the Sejm took place in 104 districts, each with 2 seats in the Sejm. Candidates for elections were entitled to stand for election by the Districts Assemblies, not by the political parties. The elections to Senate were indirect, 64 senators were elected by Voivodeships Assemblies, and 32 received seat from the President of Poland. Suffrage in these elections had only the citizens with higher education or with merits for country, or with the citizens’ confidence, at least 30-year-old. In this way the Sanacja party wanted to achieve domination in the Sejm and Senate and to remove opposition parties from the Parliament. These plans were accomplished, although the elections were boycotted by a significant part of citizens. The criticism of Electoral Law of 1935 was widespread, also the Sanacja’s politicians knew about disadvantages of this Law, however there were no changes in the election system in Poland until the beginning of World War II.