Poles will go to the polls on Sunday 06.09.2015 to vote in a referendum that was announced by former President Bronisław Komorowski just weeks before the end of his term. Meanwhile, in a televised address to the nation 20.08.2015 , new President Andrzej Duda also called for another referendum—with additional questions—to be held together with parliamentary elections 25.10.2015.
On September 6, Poland will hold a referendum on three issues: the introduction of single-seat constituencies in elections for the lower house of parliament (the Sejm), the financing of political parties from the state budget, and the introduction of a general principle to resolve disputes over tax law.
The September referendum is predominately a response to demands by Paweł Kukiz, an independent candidate who won 20.8 percent of the vote in the first round of the presidential election earlier this year. This veteran rock musician has for years been pressing for single-member constituencies to be introduced in Poland to replace the current proportional representation system. Komorowski announced the referendum a day after the first round of the presidential election, in what many saw as a try to win votes of Kukiz supporters in the second round. This proved unsuccessful and opposition candidate Andrzej Duda won the race for the presidency.
For a referendum in Poland to be valid, more than 50 percent of eligible voters must turn out on the day. So far, referendum turnout in Poland has exceeded 50 percent only once, in 2003 in a vote in which Poles said “yes” to their country joining the European Union.
warsawvoice.pl
