Конституційний процес та становлення парламентської демократії у Польщі (1918–1921 рр.)

Abstract

Досліджено особливості конституційного процесу та становлення парламентської демократії у відновленій Польській державі у 1918–1921 рр. Зʼясовано обставини виборів до Законодавчого сейму, політична строкатість якого спонукала до пошуку компромісів у головних питаннях державного ладу. Простежено діяльність Конституційного бюро, «Анкети», конституційної комісії Законодавчого сейму та здійснено порівняння підготовлених ними конституційних проектів. Окремо розкрито процес прийняття Березневої Конституції 1921 р. й охарактеризовано основні положення, що визначали форму державного правління. The article examines the features of the constitutional process and the peculiarities of the formation of parliamentary democracy in the restored Polish state in 1918–1921. The period of formation of the system of parliamentary democracy in Poland coincided with the wave of democratization in that time in post-war Europe. A characteristic feature of that time was a review of the fundamentals of the functioning of the legal mechanism of the state in the direction of increasing the powers of the peopleʼs representation, which had to be carried through the parliament. The logical result of the restoration of Polish statehood was the adoption of the democratic Constitution of March 21, 1921, which marked the beginning of the parliamentary form of government. However, due to a number of reasons of political and socio-economic nature, parliamentary democracy lasted only a few years. The circumstances of the elections to the Legislative Seim, the political variety of which has led to the search for compromises in key issues of the state system, has been clarified. On January 26, 1919, elections to the Legislative Seim took place, which boycotted the German and Ukrainian populations. The activities of the Constitutional Bureau, «Ankieta» (special institution), the Constitutional Commission of the Legislative Seim and the comparison of constitutional projects prepared by them are traced. When preparing the constitution, Polish politicians appealed to the French political and legal experience and their own national traditions. There were no discrepancies regarding the establishment of a republican system in Poland. The main issues that aroused sharp debate in the Constitutional Commission and during the sessions of the Seim were the structure of the parliament, the method of electing the head of state, the rights of national minorities and the relations of church and state. Separately, the process of adopting the March Constitution of 1921 is uncovered, and the main provisions defining the form of state governance are described. After sharp discussions, Polish political parties agreed to constitutionally consolidate the rights of national minorities. According to the March 1921 Constitution, Poland was proclaimed a democratic parliamentary republic with a parliamentary-presidential system. In the sphere of law, the system of a bicameral representative body was established, where the Senate was given a minor role. The main law of the state also provided for the principle of a responsible government, since relations between the legislative and executive bodies were based on the governmentʼs accountability to the parliament. The Constitution 1921 was democratic in nature and was the basis for the advancement of Polish society, but its provisions were not always implemented.