Preliminary results in Polish referendum reveal 7.48 percent turnout
PR dla Zagranicy
Nick Hodge
07.09.2015 08:50
Poland's National Electoral Commission (PKW) revealed on Monday morning that the majority of votes have been counted for Sunday's three-part referendum and that just 7.48 percent of eligible voters turned out.
Preparing to count votes in Olsztyn, northern Poland, Sunday night. Photo: PAP/Tomasz Waszczuk
For the results of the referendum to be legally binding, 50 percent of eligible voters must submit valid votes.
Votes in 16 of the country's 17 provinces have now been counted, according to the PKW, with the Świętokrzyskie province of south central Poland the only outstanding area.
The referendum, which was set in motion by former president Bronisław Komorowski at the tail-end of his tenure, took in three questions.
Voters were asked whether they approved of introducing single-member constituencies for Sejm (lower house of parliament) elections (79.88 percent voted yes according to PKW's incomplete results), whether the state should continue to finance political parties (16.44 percent voted yes) and whether a presumption in favour of the taxpayer should be introduced in disputes over tax law (94.22 percent said yes).
All in all, over 30 million people were entitled to vote, via about 27,000 polling stations.
Of Poles abroad, figures concerning the diaspora in the USA have revealed an especially low turnout, with just 656 Polish Americans casting votes. By comparison, 23,000 took part in the second round of Poland's presidential election in May. (nh)