Poland electoral system referendum - September 6, 2015

[politicus]

President Bronisław Komorowski ordered a referendum on two questions regarding the electoral system and one about tax law before he left office. It will be held September 6. The first one could potentially turn Poland into a pure PO/PiS two party system, so quite interesting.


1) Introducing single-member constituencies for Sejm elections.

2) Maintaining state financing of political parties.

3) Introducing a presumption in favour of the taxpayer in disputes with the authorities over tax law.


@Polish posters: If state financing is outlawed how would that affect politics? Is PO the darlings of corporate Poland, or has PiS an equal amount of private funds available?

[Grand Wizard Lizard of the Klan]

@Polish posters: If state financing is outlawed how would that affect politics? Is PO the darlings of corporate Poland, or has PiS an equal amount of private funds available?

Both PiS and PO are big parties with a lot of different local deals and a lot of people who would support them but PO as ruling party has better contacts with business/rich people - potential big sponsors. Also as far as I know PiS have really bad relations with Jan Kulczyk (the richest Pole) and some other people from top strata of society so PO has easier job as "party of business".  Also PO has more members what equals more money from member dues but that is different story.

[rob in cal]

   If Sejm elections were single member districts, would they be plurality wins like in the UK, or would there be a runoff in districts where noone gets a majority?

[politicus]

BUMP

How does the polls look? (and how does the Poles look? ... on this).

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Just taking the five most recent, PiS between 36% and 47%, PO between 19% and 27%, SLD between 4% and 12%, Kukiz between 4% and 12%, PSL between 4% and 7%, NPL between 3% and 5%, and Korwin between 1% and 4%.

[Grand Wizard Lizard of the Klan]

Today in public TVP as far as I remember at 9pm there will be programme about referendum with experts discussing about questions etc. (as a lot of people actually don't know anything what about this referendum is going to be, lol) but unfortunately people are not much interested about referendum. CBOS research from August states that only 32% of interviewees are sure about taking part in referendum so there are high chances that even less will actually take part in it. About questions:

Single-mandate districts supported by 41% (decrease from previous research from July)
Financing opposed by 73%
Introducing a presumption in favor of the taxpayer in disputes with the authorities over tax law unfortunately supported by 76% (decrease from previous research from July by 5%)

[politicus]

Just taking the five most recent, PiS between 36% and 47%, PO between 19% and 27%, SLD between 4% and 12%, Kukiz between 4% and 12%, PSL between 4% and 7%, NPL between 3% and 5%, and Korwin between 1% and 4%.

Those are Sejm election numbers...

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I clicked on this thread from the main board and saw 'Poland' in the title

[Barnes]

I clicked on this thread from the main board and saw 'Poland' in the title

It's not every day that we have two Polish threads going at once.

I am glad that I clicked in here too, because I was unaware of this referendum before hand.

Is this campaign attracting much (if any) interest from the general public?

[politicus]

Today in public TVP as far as I remember at 9pm there will be programme about referendum with experts discussing about questions etc. (as a lot of people actually don't know anything what about this referendum is going to be, lol) but unfortunately people are not much interested about referendum. CBOS research from August states that only 32% of interviewees are sure about taking part in referendum so there are high chances that even less will actually take part in it. About questions:

Single-mandate districts supported by 41% (decrease from previous research from July)
Financing opposed by 73%
Introducing a presumption in favor of the taxpayer in disputes with the authorities over tax law unfortunately supported by 76% (decrease from previous research from July by 5%)

Is there a quorum to be met? Fx. 50% turnout?

[Grand Wizard Lizard of the Klan]

Yes, if below 50% referendum is not binding and only have "opinion-giving" character.

[Grand Wizard Lizard of the Klan]

I clicked on this thread from the main board and saw 'Poland' in the title

It's not every day that we have two Polish threads going at once.

I am glad that I clicked in here too, because I was unaware of this referendum before hand.

Is this campaign attracting much (if any) interest from the general public?

It is merely shade of attention which is given to parliamentary elections, effect of great result of Kukiz in presidential elections and struggle for his voters in presidential campaign.

[YL]

   If Sejm elections were single member districts, would they be plurality wins like in the UK, or would there be a runoff in districts where noone gets a majority?

The referendum question apparently just says single member districts, without specifying the mechanism beyond that, but I think the intention is FPTP, UK or Canada style.

[Grand Wizard Lizard of the Klan]

Turnout will be equal ca. 23% or even smaller believe me. Anti-referendal approach is more visible and loud on both right-wing and left-wing. I personally don't know anyone who is 100% sure that will take part in that referendum. I think that we can close that topic and eventually if someone want to comment that can post on autumn elections topic.

[politicus]

Turnout will be equal ca. 23% or even smaller believe me. Anti-referendal approach is more visible and loud on both right-wing and left-wing. I personally don't know anyone who is 100% sure that will take part in that referendum. I think that we can close that topic and eventually if someone want to comment that can post on autumn elections topic.

Nah, its a separate poll. Results will be written and commented here.

[politicus]

Polls closed at 10PM CET, but no info on turnout in the English language media.

Results should be available tomorrow afternoon.

[Grand Wizard Lizard of the Klan]

Polish media says about even less than 10%. There are multiple articles about local referendal commissions which was empty for most of the day etc. Even on the most of the web info services referendum is not the main topic.

[politicus]

Polish media says about even less than 10%. There are multiple articles about local referendal commissions which was empty for most of the day etc. Even on the most of the web info services referendum is not the main topic.

Did they simply stop campaigning for it? I would have thought getting a new electoral system was a priority since they decided to call the referendum in the first place.

[Grand Wizard Lizard of the Klan]

This referendum was only effect of good Kukiz result in the first term of presidential elections, Komorowski just wanted to appease Kukiz voters. After that actually no one gave even a little bit of attention but Sejm accepted that so it was too late.
Even such trivial things - both PiS and PO even didn't posted yesterday anything about referendum on FB. And people also thought this referendum was rather useless and waste of money.

[Grand Wizard Lizard of the Klan]

http://referendum2015.pkw.gov.pl/341_Polska

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[politicus]

http://referendum2015.pkw.gov.pl/341_Polska

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A 7.48% turnout is impressively low.

[politicus]

From an outsider perspective this is still a bit weird, though. It seems both PO and PiS should have a clear interest in FPTP, so why not use this opportunity to get it?

[Grand Wizard Lizard of the Klan]

Changing ordination needs changes in constitution and also such move would be very unpopular and no one wants to risk before elections which are more important.

[Grand Wizard Lizard of the Klan]

http://referendum2015.pkw.gov.pl/341_Polska

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A 7.48% turnout is impressively low.

Final turnout is 7.8%.

[DavidB.]

Wow. That is... really low. If I may ask: did you vote? And if yes, how did you vote, and why?