Senate blocks presidential referendum, but Solidarity fights back

Following the Senate’s rejection of President Karol Nawrocki’s nationwide climate policy referendum, NSZZ “Solidarność” has announced the immediate resumption of its own signature campaign.

Sharp confrontation between unionists and the ruling majority

A sharp confrontation has emerged between unionists and the ruling majority following Thursday’s decision by the Senate to reject President Karol Nawrocki’s request for a nationwide referendum on EU climate policy. NSZZ „Solidarność” leader Piotr Duda accused coalition senators of disregarding citizens and announced the immediate unfreezing of the signature collection for their own civic referendum on the Green Deal. Unionists assure that they will gather the missing signatures swiftly.

Solidarity unfreezes signature collection: Duda claims 450,000 ready

“Solidarność” will resume collecting signatures for the climate referendum, declared Chairman Piotr Duda on Friday. This is a reaction to Thursday’s Senate decision rejecting the presidential initiative. Duda emphasized that “Solidarność” already has 450,000 out of the 500,000 required signatures.

Senate votes down the presidential climate policy referendum

On Thursday, the Senate withheld consent for holding a nationwide referendum on EU climate policy proposed by President Karol Nawrocki. Had the idea been accepted, Poles would have answered the question: „Are you in favor of Poland implementing the European Union’s climate policy?”. On Friday, the decision of the Senate was criticized by Piotr Duda, Chairman of the Independent Self-Governing Trade Union „Solidarność”.

Strong attack on majority senators: „They spat in the face of the nation”

The Senate majority yesterday once again spat in the face of the nation by refusing to consent to President Karol Nawrocki scheduling a referendum on the European Union’s climate policy, assessed Piotr Duda.

Duda recalled that „Solidarność” supported the president’s idea, including during a mass demonstration organized on May 20. He criticized the decision of the ruling coalition’s senators and expressed the opinion that EU climate policy is the reason why successive jobs are being eliminated.

Following yesterday, politicians (…), who are under the thumb of Prime Minister Tusk, showed arrogance toward the citizens and the nation. A nationwide referendum, whether it is a civic referendum or a referendum scheduled by the president with the consent of the Senate, is the highest form of social dialogue with society, stated Duda.

Announcement of debate in the Sejm: Application to reach Marshal Czarzasty’s desk

Chairman Duda also reported that in connection with the Senate’s decision, the collection of signatures for the civic referendum application on the Green Deal, which „Solidarność” initiated two years ago, will be unfrozen. 500,000 votes are needed.

In connection with the situation, „Solidarność” is unfreezing the collection of signatures. We already have about 450,000 signatures collected, we will gather the necessary amount, (…) we will submit the appropriate number of signatures to Marshal Czarzasty, a debate will take place in the Sejm, and we will see how the MPs, who are also so „civic,” behave then, announced Duda.

Behind the scenes of the Senate debate and dispute over referendum legitimacy

Before Thursday’s vote, the referendum issue was the subject of deliberations at a joint meeting of several Senate committees. The motion not to grant consent for its holding was submitted at that time by Senator Piotr Masłowski (NOWA Polska-Centrum Senate Club), arguing, among other things, that Europe should invest in renewable energy sources to reduce energy prices. He also recalled that in the past, during the PiS rule, Solidarna Polska politicians came forward with a similar initiative. He emphasized that Law and Justice leaders indicated at the time that withdrawing from the ETS was impossible.

The president’s next attempt: How did the referendum question evolve?

The first application to hold a nationwide referendum was sent to the Senate in the first half of the year. The Senate Committee on Human Rights, Rule of Law, and Petitions as well as the Senate majority raised formal and legal objections, pointing to imprecise phrasing of the questions and the suggestive nature of their content, which led to the rejection of the application in a plenary vote. The question then proposed by the president was to read: „Are you in favor of implementing a climate policy that has led to an increase in citizens’ living costs, energy prices, and the conduct of business and agricultural activities?”. Consequently, the president repeated his initiative by proposing a question from which all subjective phrasings were removed.