The Jewish members of the Polish Parliament announced today that they had abstained from voting yesterday on the new parliamentary electoral law because it curbs Jewish representation.
Twenty Jewish seats in the Sejm and nine seats in the Senate were demanded yesterday in the name of the Jewish faction by Deputy F. Rothenstreich, during the discussion in the Sejm on the new electoral law.
Deputy Rothenstreich emphasized that the Jews can never agree to be limited to four deputies since they constitute ten per cent of the entire population. Even if they were given a maximum of six seats in the Cejm, as proposed in some government circles, it would hardly satisfy them.
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“Even if six Jewish deputies are returned to the Sejm under the new law, they will be elected by non-Jewish votes and will therefore not be able to represent Jewish interests,” the Jewish spokesman declared.
Deputy Rothenstreich expressed the fear that Jewish representatives in the Sejm who will be elected by the grace of non-Jewish voters may even oppose Jewish interests in the fear that they may lose their seats.
The Polish Parliament under the new electoral law will consist of more than 200 deputies. Dr. Rothenstreich’s demand for twenty seats in the Sejm is based on the proportion of the Jewish population as compared to the general population of the country.
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