This referendum is not needed because there is no dispute over the answer to any question – argues the opposition and believes that PiS wants to hold a referendum together with the elections to mobilize its own people and spend money outside the budget for the campaign. In turn, young activists from the Nowa Generacja Association point out that the money spent on the referendum could be used differently – for example, to protect the health of Poles.
On Tuesday, young opposition activists in the center of Warsaw convinced passers-by that it was better to spend money on health care than on the PiS referendum. It is estimated that the organization of the referendum on election day will cost Poles 3-4 million zlotys. – For this bag of money, we could have 18 million heart pills, so we could help those who are most at risk – said Jakub Lewandowski from the New Generation Association. – You can buy 5.3 million diabetes strips and test Polish women and men whether this dangerous disease poses a threat to us. There are really better ways to spend four million zlotys than on PiS’s fear referendum – added Dawid Kacprzyk, councilor of the Ursus district of the capital city of Warsaw, member of the Nowa Generation Association.
The government has already submitted a motion to the Sejm to hold a referendum with four questions and justifications previously announced by PiS politicians. – This is a game on fear, anxiety, fears, and at the same time it is a way to mobilize funds for election campaigns – believes Aleksander Smolar, former president of the Adam Mickiewicz Foundation. Stefan Batory. – The opposition gives a clear answer on this matter, so PiS is deceiving people – emphasizes Robert Biedroń, MEP of the Left.
Hermeliński: I wouldn’t even call it a referendum, it’s a kind of plebiscite TVN24
Allegations against the opposition
Politicians from the largest opposition parties have been repeating for several days that there is no dispute with the government over the issues that PiS wants to ask in the referendum. At the same time, they accuse PiS of using its majority in the Sejm and calling a referendum to finance its election campaign without limits.
Justifying the last referendum question regarding the dam on the border with Belarus, the Prime Minister reminds that it was the opposition that voted against this investment. It’s just that the politicians of the Platform and the Left keep repeating that they will not destroy anything, but PiS does not talk about it in the latest referendum spot.
– The question about security is presented by a guy who for half a year did not know that a Russian rocket flew through half of Poland – points out Joanna Scheuring-Wielgus, an MP from the Left. – This is not a question of people about what they stand for, but an extremely cynical, clever, well-thought-out and perverse political PR operation – assesses Szymon Hołownia, the leader of Poland 2050.
Hungarian script
A referendum on election day is an idea that Jarosław Kaczyński repeats after Viktor Orban. In the Hungarian referendum, there were also four questions with a thesis opposed by the opposition. It’s just that they concerned LGBT+ people.
– (PiS – editorial note) wants to use this referendum, like Orban in Hungary, to mobilize people who do not want to vote and win this election in an unfair way – believes Robert Biedroń, MEP of the Left. – We propose, instead of these four questions, one question: “Are you in favor of removing PiS from power?” – says Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, leader of the Polish People’s Party. – This is what these elections are really about – this is the most important referendum: us or them – points out Cezary Tomczyk, MP from the Civic Coalition.
For a referendum with PiS questions to be held, it must be supported by a majority in the Sejm.
Main photo source: TVN24