# Women gain the vote (1918)

URL: https://poland-history.com/timeline/1918-women-gain-the-vote
Location: Warsaw

A decree of Chief of State Piłsudski granted women the right to vote and stand for election, among the first countries in Europe to do so. Within the broader World War I & Independence period: The First World War destroyed the partitioning empires. Poland regained independence in November 1918 and fought for its borders in a series of wars and uprisings until 1921. At this point in the timeline (28 November 1918), the governing authority was Józef Piłsudski (Chief of State). Architect of independence and Chief of State; after the 1926 coup he remained Poland's dominant figure until his death in 1935. Women gain the vote mattered because it changed the rights and daily lives of large parts of society. The event is placed here so readers can follow it alongside changes in government, warfare, society, religion and culture across Polish history.

## Why it matters
Women gain the vote mattered because it changed the rights and daily lives of large parts of society.

Ruler at the time: [Józef Piłsudski](https://poland-history.com/rulers/jozef-pilsudski)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Women's suffrage](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women's_suffrage#Poland)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — Women gain the vote](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=Women+gain+the+vote)
- [Wikipedia — History of Poland during World War I (period overview)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Poland_during_World_War_I)