1996 Polish referendum

A double referendum was held in Poland on 18 February 1996.[1] One question concerned enfranchisement, whilst the others concerned state property. The first proposition was ordered by the President, whilst the others were created on the basis of resolution made by Sejm. All except one were approved by over 90% of voters. However, voter turnout was just 32%, well below the 50% threshold required to make the results valid.[2]

Act about the referendum

The act about the referendum was passed on June 25, 1995 (Dz.U. 99, position 487 from 25.08.1995)

Subject of the referendum

Enfranchisement question

On 29 November 1995, President of Poland Lech Wałęsa, after getting permission from Senate, mandated a referendum with the question:

Do you approve the enfranchisement of citizens?

Privatisation questions

On 21 December 1995 the Sejm passed a referendums act, in which four question were to be placed on the ballot:

Are you for or against – obligations towards pensioners, annuitants and retirees in the Civil Service will be fulfilled with the privatised state-owned assets?[3]
Are you for or against – a part of the privatised state-owned assets will be assigned to public pension funds?[3]
Are you for or against – the value of joint stock certificates in National Investment Fund will be increased?[3]
Are you for the use of privatisation bonds in the universal property restitution program?[3]

Results

Enfranchisement

Choice	Votes	%
For	8,580,129	96.2
Against	343,197	3.8
Invalid/blank votes	152,678	–
Total	9,076,004	100
Registered voters/turnout	28,009,715	32.4
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

Question I

Choice	Votes	%
For	8,439,458	95.1
Against	437,466	4.9
Invalid/blank votes	208,221	–
Total	9,085,145	100
Registered voters/turnout	28,009,715	32.4
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

Question II

Choice	Votes	%
For	8,512,9321	96.0
Against	355,363	4.0
Invalid/blank votes	215,851	–
Total	9,085,145	100
Registered voters/turnout	28,009,715	32.4
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

Question III

Choice	Votes	%
For	1,985,567	23.2
Against	6,588,559	76.8
Invalid/blank votes	511,019	–
Total	9,085,145	100
Registered voters/turnout	28,009,715	32.4
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

Question IV

Choice	Votes	%
For	8,022,353	91.3
Against	762,905	8.7
Invalid/blank votes	299,887	–
Total	9,085,145	100
Registered voters/turnout	28,009,715	32.4
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

References

Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p1491 ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7
Polish Referendum: Mixed Results Stall Privatization Chicago Tribune, 21 February 1996
Nohlen & Stöver, p1499

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[NS-1] Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p1491 ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7

[2] Polish Referendum: Mixed Results Stall Privatization Chicago Tribune, 21 February 1996

[N1-3] Nohlen & Stöver, p1499

History of the Third Polish Republic
1990–1995 Wałęsa Presidency	Round Table Agreement 1990 presidential election 1991 parliamentary election 1993 parliamentary election
1995–2005 Kwaśniewski Presidency	1995 presidential election 1996 enfranchisement and privatisation referendums 1997 Constitution 1997 parliamentary election 2000 presidential election 2001 parliamentary election Rywin affair 2003 invasion of Iraq EU membership referendum Accession to the EU
2005–2010 Kaczyński Presidency	2005 parliamentary election 2005 presidential election 2007 parliamentary election Smolensk air disaster
2010–2015 Komorowski Presidency	2010 presidential election 2011 parliamentary election Euro 2012 2015 presidential election
2015-present Duda Presidency	2015 parliamentary election 2015 referendum 2015 constitutional crisis 2019 parliamentary election COVID-19 pandemic in Poland 2020 presidential election 2021 border crisis

Elections and referendums in Poland
Presidential elections	1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025
Parliamentary elections	1919 1922 1928 1930 1935 1938 1947 1952 1957 1961 1965 1969 1972 1976 1980 1985 1989 1991 1993 1997 2001 2005 2007 2011 2015 2019 2023
Local elections	1916–17 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1929 1933–34 1936 1938–39 1954 1958 1961 1965 1969 1973 1976 1980 1984 1988 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2024
European elections	2004 2009 2014 2019 2024
Referendums	1946 1987 1996 1997 2003 2015 2023
See also: Elections in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth