page_title: 1922 Polish presidential elections
section_title: First election
hierarchical_section_title: 1922 Polish presidential elections / First election
caption_attribution_description: Józef Piłsudski (left) as a Chief of State and first President of Poland Gabriel Narutowicz (right).
context_page_description: The 1922 presidential elections were the first two Polish presidential elections in history, held eleven days apart.
context_section_description: After acquisition of independence of Poland the head of state was Naczelnik Państwa Józef Piłsudski. In a new constitution adopted by the Polish Sejm, the new head of state was to be the President of Republic of Poland - to be choose by the National Assembly (combined Sejm and Senate). After the parliamentary election, planning began for the first Polish presidential election in history.
  The main probable candidate Józef Piłsudski, despite calls for him to contend, did not run for election. He proposed a former Prime Minister, Wincenty Witos, for presidency. Witos also refused. Finally Piłsudski supported the candidature of Minister of Foreign Affairs Gabriel Narutowicz.
  At the time of the election the main candidates were count Maurycy Zamoyski, the candidate of National Democracy and Stanisław Wojciechowski, candidate of Polish People's Party "Piast". Narutowicz's good result was a surprise. Once the long voting was over, Zamoyski and Narutowicz advanced to the fifth ballot. Narutowicz finally won the election with the support of "Piast" (Wojciechowski was eliminated on the fourth round).
  Narutowicz was sworn in as President on 11 December 1922, but was assassinated just five days later.
caption: Piłsudski with president Narutowicz.
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