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).^[1][2][3] Anthem: Mazurek DÄ…browskiego Capital Warsaw Language(s) Polish Government Republic President List Prime minister List Legislature Sejm Historical era Interwar period  - World War I November 11, 1918  - Invasion November 2, 1939 Area  - 1939 388,600 km2 150,039 sq mi Population  - 1939 est. ... The Bezpartyjny Blok Współpracy z RzÄ…dem (Polish for Non-Party Block of Collaboration with the Government), abbreviated BBWR, was a non-political organization which existed from 1928 until 1935, closely affiliated with PiÅ‚sudski and his Sanacja movement. ... Flag of the Chief of State (1919-1927) Sanacja was a coalition political movement of the Second Polish Republic in the inter war years. ... The Sejm building in Warsaw. ... The Polish Senate The Senate (Senat) is the upper house of the Polish parliament. ...

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.^[4] Piłsudski was supported by BBWR led by Walery Sławek, which campaigned for a more authoritative government, declaring its total support for Piłsudski^[5] and proclaiming itself to be a patriotic, non-partisan and pro-government formation.^[2] Other factions in contemporary Polish politics and their primary parties included: the Left, comprised 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).^[2] Office Chief of State, Marshal of Poland Term of office from November 14, 1918 until December 9, 1922 Profession Statesman Political party none (see Sanacja for details), formerly PPS Spouse Maria PiÅ‚sudska Aleksandra PiÅ‚sudska Date of birth December 5, 1867 Place of birth Zułów, in todays... May Coup (Polish: Przewrót majowy or zamach majowy) was a coup detat successfully carried out in Poland by Józef PiÅ‚sudski between May 12 and May 14, 1926. ... The Bezpartyjny Blok Współpracy z RzÄ…dem (Polish for Non-Party Block of Collaboration with the Government), abbreviated BBWR, was a non-political organization which existed from 1928 until 1935, closely affiliated with PiÅ‚sudski and his Sanacja movement. ... Walery SÅ‚awek (1879-1939) was a Polish politician who three times served as Prime Minister of Poland in the early 1930s. ... The Polish Socialist Party (Polska Partia Socjalistyczna, PPS) was one of the two most important Polish political parties from its inception in 1892 until 1948, when it merged with the Stalinist Polish Workers Party (PPR) to form the Polish United Workers Party (PZPR), the ruling party in the Peoples... Ignacy DaszyÅ„ski Ignacy DaszyÅ„ski (1866-1936) was a Polish politician. ... Polish communists can trace their origins to early 1900s and the works tor the first Polish Marxist, StanisÅ‚aw Brzozowki (1878-1911). ... The Communist Party of Poland (Polish: Komunistyczna Partia Polski) was a historical communist party in Poland. ... The Polish Peoples Party (Polish: Polskie Stronnictwo Ludowe, also known in English as Polish Peasant Party) is a political party in Poland. ... Jan DÄ…bski (b. ... Endecja (from abbreviaton (ND) of its Polish name, Narodowa Demokracja (National Democrats), also known as National Movement (Ruch Narodowy)) was a Polish right-wing political movement most active from middle of the 19th century to the end of the Second Polish Republic in 1939. ... Wincenty Witos Wincenty Witos (1874 - 1945) was an actvist of the Polish Peasant Party (PSL) from 1895 and leader of Piast faction from 1913. ... Wojciech Korfaty in 1905 Wojciech Korfanty (20 April 1873-17 August 1939) was a Polish nationalist activist, journalist and politician, serving as member of the German Reichstag and the Prussian Landtag, later in the Polish Sejm. ...

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.^[4] 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.^[2]

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.^[1][2][3]

Results

The Bezpartyjny Blok Współpracy z Rządem (Polish for Non-Party Block of Collaboration with the Government), abbreviated BBWR, was a non-political organization which existed from 1928 until 1935, closely affiliated with Piłsudski and his Sanacja movement. ... Polish Socialist Party (Polska Partia Socjalistyczna, PPS) was one of the most important Polish political parties 1890-1948. ...

Aftermath

Slightly less than half of those entitled to vote did vote;^[4] it was one of the lowest turnouts in the history of Polish elections (with the Polish legislative election, 1935 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,^[6] with the left - including Polish Communists - doing much better than the traditional Polish Right .^[4] 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.^[2] The Sejm building in Warsaw. ... The Polish Senate The Senate (Senat) is the upper house of the Polish parliament. ... Polish communists can trace their origins to early 1900s and the works tor the first Polish Marxist, StanisÅ‚aw Brzozowki (1878-1911). ... The Polish Socialist Party (Polska Partia Socjalistyczna, PPS) was one of the two most important Polish political parties from its inception in 1892 until 1948, when it merged with the Stalinist Polish Workers Party (PPR) to form the Polish United Workers Party (PZPR), the ruling party in the Peoples...

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.^[5]

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.^[5] A Motion of No Confidence, also called Motion of Non Confidence is a parliamentary motion traditionally put before a parliament by the opposition in the hope of defeating or embarrassing a government. ... Satirical drawing from Hasło Łódzkie newspaper, 5 October 1930. ...

References

Further reading

• A. J. Groth, Polish Elections 1919-1928, Slavic Review, Vol. 24, No. 4 (Dec., 1965), pp. 653-665 JSTOR