View source for Small Constitution of 1919

{{Constitutions of Poland}}
The '''Small Constitution of 1919''' was the first [[constitution]] of the [[Second Polish Republic]]. It was formally called the "Legislative [[Sejm]]'s ordinance of 20 February 1919, entrusting [[Józef Piłsudski]] with the further execution of the office of [[Naczelnik Państwa|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''.

== Provisions ==
The Small Constitution declared that Poland has a [[parliamentary system]], although it did not define Poland as a republic.<ref>Ajnenkiel 1983, 228.</ref>

[[Executive power]]s were held by the [[Naczelnik Państwa|Chief of State]]. He could name the ministers (with the consent of the ''Sejm''); he and the ministers were responsible before the ''Sejm''. The [[Naczelnik Państwa|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 20 February 1919 and went into effect a week later, on 27 February 1919. It was amended on 25 February 1920 and was supplanted on 1 June 1921 by the [[March Constitution (Poland)|March 1921 Constitution]].

== Footnotes ==
{{reflist}}

== References ==
* {{cite book |title=Polskie konstytucje |last=Ajnenkiel |first=Andrzej |author-link=Andrzej Ajnenkiel |year=1983 |publisher=Wiedza Powszechna |location=Warszawa |isbn=83-214-0256-9 }}

== External links ==
* {{in lang|pl}} [http://www.staff.amu.edu.pl/~wroblew/html/konst/pl/Ma%b3a%20Konstytucja%201919%20-%20tekst%20wlasny.doc Full text of Small Constitution] at the [[Adam Mickiewicz University]] website{{Dead link|date=August 2019}}

[[Category:1919 in law]]
[[Category:1919 in Poland]]
[[Category:Constitutions of Poland]]
[[Category:Defunct constitutions]]
[[Category:Legal history of Poland]]
[[Category:1919 documents]]


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