ELECTION CAMPAIGN TO THE GALICIAN REGIONAL SEJM IN 1913

Abstract

The last election campaign to the Galician regional sejm in 1913 are considered in this article. The historical works of scientists, in particular, Ukrainians Ihor Chornovol, Olena Arkusha, Yurii Mykhalskyi and

Poles Stanisław Grodziski, Ryszard Tomczyk, Adam Wątor, who researched election-related topics, are ana- lyzed. The source base of the elections, in particular the Ukrainian newspapers “Dilo”, “Hromadskyi holos”, “Galichanin”, stenographic protocols of sejm sessions, etc, are studied. The reasons for the early termination of the powers of the sejm of the ninth term (1908–1913) by the Austrian emperor Franz Joseph I, the appointment of extraordinary elections and the change of the governor of Galicia are clarified. The participation in the elections of Ukrainian and Polish political forces, their periodical press, election programs, slogans, methods of election struggle, the results of which they wanted to achieve by voting are studied. The political position of parties before the elections, inter-party relations within the Ukrainian and Polish movements, as well as relations between parties and political figures, allies and competitors are determined. The mechanism of conducting election voting, the attitude of the regional administration to misfeasance, the ways and methods of election falsifications, and methods of putting pressure on voters are analyzed. The methods of Ukrainian parties protected their voters from falsifications and pressure on them from Polish politicians are clarified. The results of the election process, their assessment by Ukrainian and Polish political groups are highlighted. A com- parative analysis of the previous election campaigns of 1901 and 1908 to the legislative-representative body of Galicia with the elections of 1913 are carried out.

Keywords: Galician regional sejm, ambassador, deputy, Ukrainians, Poles, elections.