Precedensy konstytucyjne obozu sanacyjnego w II Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej
Constitutional Precedents of the Sanacja Camp in the Polish Second Republic

Summary/Abstract: The publication aims to present the practise of application of the so called March Constitution (passed in march 1921 by the parliament of the Polish Second Republic), which come to power as a result of the coup d’état of May 1926. The Sanacja camp’s leader, Józef Pilsudski evaluated march constitution negatively, as it created parliamentary supremacy in state authority system. In the introduction to the publication, an amendment to the march constitution of 2 August 1926, which strengthened the competences of the executive authorities, was presented. The precedents were formally in line with the literal wording of the provisions of the March Constitution, but in practise they contradicted its fundamental principles. Precedents were the main weapon in the battle conducted by Józef Piłsudski against the Sejm, which was in opposition to the Sanation authorities. The practice of shortening parliamentary sessions would lead to a significant limitation of the Sejm’s activity in favour of law-making by the President’s decrees. The last of a series of constitutional precedents of the Sanacja camp was used to adopt a new constitution contrary to the provisions of the March Constitution. The April Constitution of 1935 officially confirmed the system of authoritarian rule of the Sanacja camp.

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