Polish political and economic reforms referendum, 1987

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A referendum on political and economic reforms was held by Poland's communist regime on 29 November 1987.^[1] The government's aim in holding the referendum was to obtain a mandate for difficult economic and political reforms. Around a third of eligible voters did not participate, defying the regime.^[2] Only 44% of Poland's 26 million eligible voters voted yes to the question on economic reform, and 46% voted yes to the second question on "democratisation" in Poland. Even though a majority of the votes cast supported the propositions, according to the rules of the referendum the majority of eligible voters had to vote yes in order for the referendum to pass. The resulting failure of the referendum was unprecedented, as it was the first time that Communist authorities in Eastern Europe had lost a vote.^[2]

Questions

Voters were presented with two questions:^[3]

Are you for the support of radical economic reform?
Are you for a deep democratisation of the political life?

The first proposal would allow the government to carry out the "full government program for radical economic recovery," aimed at "improving living conditions," on the understanding that this would require a "difficult" two-to-three-year period of "rapid changes." The second would lead to the introduction a new "Polish model" for "democratising political life, aimed at strengthening self-government, extending the rights of citizens and increasing their participation" in running the country.^[4]

Results

Question I

Choice	Votes	%
For	11,601,975	70.5
Against	4,866,207	29.5
Invalid/blank votes	69,520	–
Total	17,638,483	100
Registered voters/turnout	26,201,169	67.3
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

Question II

Choice	Votes	%
For	12,127,621	73.7
Against	4,317,401	26.3
Invalid/blank votes	69,520	–
Total	17,638,483	100
Registered voters/turnout	26,201,169	67.3
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

References

↑ Nohlen, D & Stöver, P (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p1491 ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7
1 2 Poland Thanks for Asking, but Time, 14 December 1987
↑ Nohlen & Stöver, p1498
↑ Abraham Brumberg Poland: The New Opposition The New York Review of Books, Volume 35, Number 2, 18 February 1988

Elections and referendums in Poland

Royal elections	1573 1576 1587 1632 1648 1669 1674 1697 1704 1733 1764

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 Next

Presidential elections	1922 (9 Dec) 1922 (20 Dec) 1926 (May) 1926 (Jun) 1933 1947 1989 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020

Local elections	1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018

European elections	2004 2009 2014 2019

Referendums	1920 1921 1946 1987 1996 1997 2003 2015

History of the Polish People's Republic

1945–48 Early post-war	Recovered Territories Polish population transfers (1944–46) Expulsion of Germans Operation Vistula Provisional Government of the Republic of Poland Polish Committee of National Liberation Provisional Government of National Unity Trial of the Sixteen Cursed soldiers Augustów roundup Polish people's referendum, 1946 Polish legislative election, 1947 Small Constitution of 1947 Amnesty of 1947 Battle for trade Three-Year Plan

1948–56 Sovietisation under Bierut's rule	Polish United Workers' Party Six-Year Plan Collectivization Socialist realism in Poland 1951 Mokotów Prison execution 1952 Constitution Stalinist show trial of the Kraków Curia PAX Association Poznań 1956 protests Polish October (1956)

1956–70 Gomułka's autarchic communism	Polish legislative election, 1957 Bishops' Letter of Reconciliation 1968 Polish political crisis Warschauer Kniefall Polish 1970 protests

1970–80 Gierek's international opening	1971 Łódź strikes Letter of 59 June 1976 protests Workers' Defence Committee Flying University Lublin 1980 strikes Gdańsk Agreement Jastrzębie-Zdrój 1980 strikes Solidarity (Polish trade union) Independent Students' Union Rural Solidarity Bydgoszcz events 1981 warning strike in Poland Summer 1981 hunger demonstrations in Poland

1981–89 Jaruzelski's autocratic rule and demise	Martial law in Poland Military Council of National Salvation Pacification of Wujek 1982 demonstrations Fighting Solidarity Federation of Fighting Youth Orange Alternative Polish political and economic reforms referendum, 1987 1988 Polish strikes Polish Round Table Agreement

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