Paweł Kukiz, the leader of Kukiz’15 Direct Democracy, argued that discouraging participation in a referendum harms citizens and reinforces party-centric politics in Poland, according to remarks he gave to the Polish press agency PAP.
Earlier in the week, the Sejm approved a resolution to organize a nationwide referendum on October 15, coinciding with the parliamentary election day.
In a PAP interview, Kukiz noted that he has championed the idea of referenda for years, but he will not take part in promoting the upcoming autumn referendum.
He stated that he would not actively discourage participation, yet he repeatedly urged that Poland must first reform its referendum law. He criticized the current framework, saying it denies citizens the power to challenge referendums initiated by political parties and that the right to propose referendums is effectively restricted to politicians.
Kukiz recalled that, under Poland’s constitutional framework, referenda can be initiated only by political parties under Article 125, and that the process remains open to change.
He explained that citizens can hypothetically gather 500,000 signatures to request a referendum, but the Sejm ultimately decides whether such a plebiscite should be held, a step he believes requires reform to empower ordinary voters.
As he emphasized, it cannot be that after collecting half a million signatures, voters would be dismissed as happened in 2004 when the Civic Platform gathered 750,000 signatures for a four-question referendum that was not conducted.
Recent coverage highlighted Kukiz’s reflections on that episode, noting that more than 750,000 signatures were reportedly discarded in parliamentary channels, an episode he described as invalid.
“It’s anti-civic activity.”
Kukiz was also asked to assess the stance of opposition figures who urged boycotts of the referendum and remarks by the Civic Platform leader Donald Tusk, who declared that the referendum was being canceled publicly.
The lawmaker argued that boycotts by political opponents amount to anti-civic actions that strengthen party structures in Poland by undermining the referendum institution, which he views as essential to direct democracy.
He pointed to a program plan agreed with the ruling party to include direct democracy lessons in schools. The initiative would use brochures and in-class presentations to educate students about the role of referenda in civil life and the broader impact of direct democratic processes.
Under the Constitution, a nationwide referendum can be ordered by the Sejm with an absolute majority of votes in the presence of at least half of the statutory number of deputies, or by the president with the Senate’s express consent and an absolute majority of votes in the presence of at least half of the statutory number of senators.
On October 15, four questions will be asked as part of the referendum. The first asks whether voters support selling state assets to foreign entities, with the claim that such sales would cause Polish citizens to lose control over strategic sectors of the economy. The second question addresses retirement age, including the possibility of restoring it to 67 for both men and women. The third question concerns removing the barrier at the border with Belarus. The fourth asks about accepting thousands of illegal migrants under a relocation mechanism tied to European policies.
The discussion around these questions has sparked significant public interest, reflecting broader debates about sovereignty, social welfare, border security, and the consequences of international agreements on national policy.
In summary, the situation underscores ongoing tensions over how referenda should function within Poland’s political system, who has the authority to initiate them, and how citizens can influence major public decisions without being sidelined by party interests.