1926 Polish presidential elections

Marshal Józef Piłsudski was elected President but declined

Professor Ignacy Mościcki was elected (and accepted) in place of Piłsudski

Two elections for President of the Republic of Poland were held in May 1926 after a May Coup, which forced President Stanisław Wojciechowski and Prime Minister Wincenty Witos to resign and gave effective power to coup leader, Marshal Józef Piłsudski.

According to then Constitution President was elected by joint houses of Sejm and Senate (National Assembly).

May 31

There were two candidates: Piłsudski and supported by the National Democracy, Christian Democracy and Piast Adolf Bniński, Voivode of Poznań. Several other politicians were mentioned to run, most notably outsed President Wojciechowski, Sejm Marshal and now Acting President Maciej Rataj (Polish People's Party "Piast") and Senate Marshal Wojciech Trąmpczyński (National Democracy), but they declined to run.

Piłsudski defeated Biński in a single round:

• Piłsudski - 292
• Bniński - 193

June 1

Piłsudski, now President-elect, declined to take office due to minor powers vested by the constitution. He proposed candidacy of politically unknown Ignacy Mościcki, a renowed chemist. Due to Mościcki lack of experience and his devotion to Piłsudski this move assured loyalty of the next President to de facto leader.

Polish Socialist Party, who supported Piłsudski previously, filed their candidate this time in a person of Sejm Caucus ChairZygmunt Marek, a man who officially nominated Piłsudski day earlier. Bniński ran again.

First round:

• Mościcki - 215
• Bniński - 211
• Marek - 56

Second round:

• Mościcki - 281
• Biński - 200
• Marek - 1

Mościcki accepted his election.

References

Zygmunt Kaczmarek, Trzej prezydenci II Rzeczypospolitej, Instytut Wydawniczy Związków Zawodowych, Warszawa 1988