# Legislative Sejm elections (1919)

URL: https://poland-history.com/timeline/1919-legislative-sejm-elections
Location: Warsaw

Poland held its first parliamentary elections under universal suffrage, choosing a Legislative Sejm to write a constitution. Eight women were elected. 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 (26 January 1919), 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. Legislative Sejm elections mattered because it altered the structure of power and the direction of Polish statehood. 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
Legislative Sejm elections mattered because it altered the structure of power and the direction of Polish statehood.

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

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Legislative Sejm](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legislative_Sejm)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — Legislative Sejm elections](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=Legislative+Sejm+elections)
- [Wikipedia — History of Poland during World War I (period overview)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Poland_during_World_War_I)