Polish president seeks November referendum on constitution

WARSAW, Poland – Poland’s president said Thursday that he wants Poles to vote in a referendum in November on whether they support changing the constitution.

The conservative ruling Law and Justice party, on whose ticket President Andrzej Duda was elected, has in the past called for replacing the current constitution, which has been in force since 1997. It says the current one allowed former communists to hold on to their privileges.

Political opponents, however, are skeptical about the party’s motives in light of its moves since winning 2015 elections to erode the independence of the courts, the media, and other institutions.

“This is not the moment to talk about a change in the constitution, especially if it is said by those who do not respect this constitution,” said Rafal Trzaskowski, a politician with the opposition Civic Platform party.

Duda said he will ask the Senate to approve the referendum for Nov. 10 and 11, timing it to coincide with Poland marking the 100th anniversary of national independence this year.

Speaking on Poland’s Constitution Day holiday, which celebrates an 18th-century constitution, Duda said he wants all Poles to have a voice in the development of Poland’s future institutional system.