Senior MP praises rejection of Polish president’s referendum bid

Polish conservative MP Jacek Sasin, who heads the government’s Standing Committee, said: "I think it’s a good thing that the senators have made such a decision."

Senators on Wednesday voted against a proposal by Poland’s president to hold a referendum.

President Andrzej Duda hails from Poland’s ruling conservative Law and Justice party. But senior figures in the party had voiced qualms over his bid to hold a referendum on November 10 and 11, when Poland marks the centenary of its independence.

Thirty members of the country’s upper house opposed Duda’s plan, ten backed it while 52 abstained.

The Senate’s decision means the referendum cannot go ahead this November.

Signals of 'political row'

Sasin said: "We will avoid the problems that this referendum could have caused. Especially problems for Poles who would no doubt want to celebrate the centenary of independence on November 11 rather than participating in a political row, because unfortunately the opposition has signalled such a political row" would break out.

Last Friday, Duda said the referendum would aim to gauge if Poles want to keep their constitution, which dates back to 1997, change it, or have a new one.

Voters would also have been asked if the president should have more powers.

The result of the referendum would not have dictated the future of the constitution but acted as an indication of changes Poles wanted to see.

Poland marks its centenary of independence on November 11.

(pk)

Source: PAP