National Council was a local level of government in People's Republic of Poland. Introduced by Polish Constitution of 1952, they were elected for a term of office of 3 years in gminas, cities, powiats and voivodeships. National Councils had their own presidiums and were subordinate to higher-level National Councils. The National Councils were meant to give the communist government a facade of democracy. In fact the elections were non-free, and National Councils had little autonomy, being almost completely dependent on decisions of Polish United Workers' Party (PZPR).