The Senate has formally blocked President Karol Nawrocki’s request for a national referendum on EU climate policy, as government officials sharply rebuked the opposition for promoting disinformation during the late-night session.
Senate Vote Halts Referendum Proposal
Following hours of debate, the Senate held a vote at 11:30 PM regarding the referendum question proposed by President Karol Nawrocki. Out of 95 senators present, 32 voted in favor of the initiative, while 61 voted against it and one abstained.
Senator Stanisław Gawłowski, rapporteur for the joint committees, cited an opinion from constitutional law professor Marek Chmaj. Chmaj characterized the proposal as substantively flawed and unconstitutional, leading the committees to formally recommend rejecting the motion.
Government Rebuttal on Energy Policy
Climate Minister Paulina Hennig-Kloska criticized the president’s representatives, accusing them of cynically seeking political capital. She countered the proposed referendum question by highlighting that Poland’s reliance on imported fossil fuels has left the country vulnerable to global price shocks and external geopolitical decisions.
Hennig-Kloska noted that the recent surge in energy costs was exacerbated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Poland’s historical over-dependence on Russian imports. She argued that members of the opposition, who previously held power, had the opportunity to stabilize the energy market during their tenure.
Debating Economic Impact and Transformation
Senator Kazimierz Michał Ujazdowski questioned why the opposition did not seek a similar referendum when they were in power, noting that Polish climate policy has been a continuity of all governments since 2006. He suggested the current effort is an attempt to distance the opposition from the legacy of the Morawiecki government.
Left-wing Senator Anna Górska challenged the feasibility of reverting to fossil fuels. She cited a report from ClientEarth indicating that delaying climate transition could cost the Polish economy 124 billion PLN by 2030, while emphasizing that thermal modernization and renewable energy investments have already significantly reduced household bills.
Clash Over Misinformation
The session featured several claims rejected by scientific consensus, including suggestions that climate change is a fabrication or that carbon dioxide is harmless. Minister Hennig-Kloska addressed these points directly, asserting that the world is not retreating from energy transition and that 90 percent of new global power capacity comes from renewable sources.
The Minister dismissed claims that the United States under Donald Trump abandoned energy transformation as a falsehood. She concluded by citing a survey showing that 57.9 percent of respondents viewed the president’s proposed referendum questions as biased.
