Sejm of Central Lithuania (
Polish: Sejm Litwy Środkowej), also known as the Vilnius Sejm, or Wilno Sejm (
Polish: Sejm Wileński;
Lithuanian: Vilniaus seimas) or the Adjudicating Sejm (
Polish: Sejm Orzekający), was the
parliament of the short-lived state of
Central Lithuania. Formed after the elections of 8 January 1922, it held its proceedings from 1 February to 1 March of that year. It had 106 deputies. Dominated by Polish representatives, it requested Central Lithuania's annexation by Poland and dissolved shortly afterward.
In the aftermath of the
Żeligowski's Mutiny aimed against Lithuania, a new state was created by general
Lucjan Żeligowski in
Vilnius Region in October 1920. The new Republic of Central Lithuania depended on Poland's economic and military support and was governed by Polish military representatives.[1]
The total number of deputies according to the majority of sources was 106.[5][6]
During the term, the
Peasant Group of Popular Councils had broken away from the Popular Councils, forming a new party, and taking with it 7 seats.[4]
Proceedings
The Sejm held its proceedings from 1 February to 1 March of that year.[7][8][9] The
marshal of the Sejm, elected on 3 February, was
Antoni Łokuciewski [
pl].[10] Much of the parliament's time was taken with the discussions on the future of Central Lithuania in relation to its neighbour, Poland. After few weeks of debate, with only a minority supporting a federal solution, the most important decision of the Sejm was passed: a request for annexation by Poland, passed on 20 February (96 in favor, 6 opposed, 10 abstaining[11]). It was executed by a delegation that was elected on the Sejm's last session on 1 March and departed to finish the negotiations in the Polish capital of
Warsaw.[12][13]
^Eidintas, Alfonsas; Vytautas Žalys;
Alfred Erich Senn (September 1999). Edvardas Tuskenis (ed.). Lithuania in European Politics: The Years of the First Republic, 1918-1940 (Paperback ed.). New York: St. Martin's Press. p. 78.
ISBN0-312-22458-3.