05/03/2026
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📜 Today, we celebrate the 235th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution of 3 May, the first modern national constitution in Europe and the second in the world, following the United States Constitution. The Constitution of 3 May, 1791, was a symbol of reform, progress, and national renewal.
⚔️ The aggressive policies of Russia, Prussia, and Austria, compounded by systemic political flaws, led to the First Partition of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. In 1772, for the first time, the state lost a vast portion of its territory to neighboring powers. To counter this, the Constitution introduced the rule of law through the separation of powers, a concept familiar in modern democracies, dividing government into the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.
⌛ The fundamental law abolished ineffective rules like the liberum veto, a device that allowed a single, often corrupt, deputy to dissolve the legislature and void all of its decisions. For this very reason, the new document was strategically rushed to a vote, while some deputies were absent from the Sejm. It was a last resort to save our nation and a final attempt to rescue political stability in Europe.
🕊️ Despite tremendous sacrifices, the country could not be saved from the partitions, and Poland disappeared from the map for 123 years. Yet, throughout that era, the legacy of the May 3, 1791 Constitution endured, reminding Poles of the imperative to fight to regain their independence. Today, it stands as a proud reminder of the great achievements of our ancestors.
