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Amendment of the Provisional Constitution – Act no. 271/1919 Coll.

This amendment of the Provisional Constitution was adopted on 23 May 1919 and came into effect on 31 May 1919. It strengthened the position of the president and introduced the classical form of parliamentary republic, which had been originally moved towards the assembly form of government by the Provisional Constitution.  Although the amendment was enacted by a qualified majority, it was not titled as a constitutional act because the category of constitutional acts would not exist within the then-existing legal order.

The main change was that the president acquired a competence to appoint and dismiss the members of the Government. He would also determine which member of the Government (minister) should direct particular authorities established for providing the highest state administration and be responsible for them. The President gained a right to be present at and to preside over meetings of the Government and to demand from the Government or its individual members written reports on any matter in their respective fields, and the right to call the Government or its members to conference. He was also explicitly ascribed the right to nominate university professors. Presidential veto strengthened as well. Newly, the president had the right to return any bill passed by the National Assembly within fourteen days of its presentation to the Government. The veto could have been overturned only in the presence of more than half of the Deputies. The President of the Republic could report verbally or in writing to the National Assembly on the state of the Republic. Henceforth, however, every act of the president required the countersignature of the member of the government in order to be valid. Originally, only the acts concerning governmental tasks required the countersignature.

The presidential election was also subject to change. Newly, the presence of simple majority of all Deputies and the consent of two-thirds of the Deputies present was required for the President of the Republic to be elected. If the President was unable to execute the duties of his office, the execution of his functions would appertain to the Government. In the cases of illness lasting for more than one month, however, the act laid down that the National Assembly shall elect a Vice-President according to those rules that apply to the presidential election.

Every motion for a vote of lack of confidence in the Government was to be signed by not less than a hundred deputies. A vote on lack of confidence in the Government was valid if more than half of all the Deputies were present and if a simple majority concurrence was obtained.