4358 Valruzian Constitutional Referendum on Abolishment of the Senate

The Valruzian Constitutional Referendum on Abolishment of the Senate of the Republic of Valruzia was a nationwide referendum held on September 5th 4358 simultaneously with the parliamentary elections to the Parliament of Valruzia (elections to the Sejm were held normally, with the elections to the Senate postponed until after the referendum results). Voters were asked whether they agree to the abolishment of the upper chamber of the bicameral Valruzian Parliament and transforming the Sejm into the unicameral parliament. This was a binding referendum and the results triggered the parliamentary process of altering the Valruzian constitution.

Background and Proposed Changes

The referendum was called in order to change the current constitution and transform the Valruzian Parliament into a unicameral parliament with the chamber of the Sejm of the Republic of Valruzia as the single chamber. For almost 20 years political analytics and commentators heavily criticized the Senate and put in question the need for this chamber to exist. The Liberal Party and its predecessor, the Party of National Coalition, made efforts to reform the Senate by altering the method the 100 Senators from the upper chamber were elected to make it more representative. Despite the reforms, Senate remained under the heavy criticism of the analytics, commentators, politicians and most importantly the public. In opinion polls prior to the referendum, citizens of Valruzia heavily supported the idea of the abolishment of the Senate, with the support for the idea highest in cities like Nowogard, Brzansk, and Gryfitow where almost 80% of the questioned individuals supported the idea. In November 4356, the Liberal Party filed a motion in the Sejm with a proposal for calling a nationwide referendum to be held simultaneously with the next parliamentary elections in order to save crucial public funds. The Sejm almost unilaterally supported the idea.

Opinion Polls

The table below presents the results of monthly results of opinion polls conducted by the National Office for Statistical Research which is an independent agency of the Valruzian government. Throughout the 36 months of opinion polling, the overall response of the questioned statistical groups was favorable toward the option of Senate abolishment. The first opinion poll was conducted in September 4355 after the then Liberal Party leader Hanna Lisowska in a press interview proposed the idea of such referendum. The National Office for Statistical Research has decided to conduct monthly polls which were published at the last day of each month in order to monitor the support and opposition of the society towards the functioning of the Senate. The results clearly indicated society's opposition for the Senate with the support for the abolishment being the strongest in urban areas and big metropolitan areas such as Nowogard, Brzansk, and Gryfitow, and the strongest support for the Senate in rural, conservative areas in Chynberg and Ruzian Voivodeship being the stronghold of the Senate supporters.

Date(s) conducted	Yes	No	Undecided	Lead	Sample
5th September 4358	56.67%	43.33%	-		Results
September 4358	54%	29%	27%	25%	1,409
August 4358	55%	31%	24%	24%	1,109
July 4358	54%	30%	26%	24%	1,481
June 4358	52%	31%	27%	21%	1,157
May 4358	53%	32%	15%	19%	1,009
April 4358	55%	29%	16%	26%	1,305
March 4358	48%	25%	27%	23%	1,407
February 4358	48%	29%	23%	19%	1,305
January 4358	44%	45%	11%	1%	1,001
December 4357	53%	28%	18%	25%	2,103
November 4357	47%	30%	23%	17%	1,482
October 4357	49%	32%	19%	17%	1,203
September 4357	52%	35%	13%	17%	1,905
August 4357	42%	44%	9%	2%	1,734
July 4357	42%	45%	13%	3%	1,104
June 4357	43%	49%	3%	6%	1,257
May 4357	51%	36%	13%	15%	1,905
April 4357	46%	45%	9%	1%	1,002
March 4357	52%	48%	N/A	4%	1,250
February 4357	55%	45%	N/A	10%	1,102
January 4357	51%	49%	N/A	2%	3,766
December 4356	49%	46%	1%	3%	1,592
November 4356	44%	45%	9%	1%	3,011
October 4356	54%	46%	N/A	8%	1,032
September 4356	41%	43%	16%	2%	2,320
August 4356	45%	44%	11%	1%	1,003
July 4356	42%	44%	13%	2%	1,652
June 4356	53%	46%	2%	7%	800
May 4356	45%	42%	13%	3%	1,004
April 4356	44%	43%	9%	1%	1,694
March 4356	44%	44%	12%	N/A	2,006
February 4356	42%	44%	9%	2%	1,734
January 4356	42%	45%	13%	3%	1,104
December 4355	43%	49%	3%	6%	1,257
November 4355	39%	46%	15%	7%	1,905
October 4355	46%	45%	9%	1%	1,002
September 4355	46%	45%	9%	1%	1,002

Results

Valruzian Constitutional Referendum on Abolishment of the Senate of the Republic of Valruzia, September 4358
Are you for the abolishment of the Senate of the Republic of Valruzia and making the Sejm of the Republic of Valruzia the unicameral Parliament of the Republic of Valruzia? (val.: Czy jesteś za zlikwidowaniem Senatu Rzeczypostpolitej Walruzyjskiej i przeszktałceniem Sejmu Rzeczypospolitej Walruzyjskiej w jednoizbowy Parlament Rzeczypospolitej Walruzyjskiej?) Location - Republic of Valruzia (nationwide) - 14 358 polling stattions. Date - September 5th, 4358
Results
	Votes	%
Yes (Tak)	31 081 060	56.67%
No (Nie)	24 749 838	43.33%
Valid Votes	55 830 898	99.99%
Invalid or Blank Votes	8 211	0.01%
Total Votes	55 839 109	74.64%

Results by Region

Valusian Voivodeship

Results
	Votes	%
Yes (Tak)
No (Nie)
Valid Votes
Invalid or Blank Votes
Total Votes

Ruzian Voivodeship

Results
	Votes	%
Yes (Tak)
No (Nie)
Valid Votes
Invalid or Blank Votes
Total Votes

Chynberg Voivodeship

Results
	Votes	%
Yes (Tak)
No (Nie)
Valid Votes
Invalid or Blank Votes
Total Votes

Kampania Voivodeship

Results
	Votes	%
Yes (Tak)
No (Nie)
Valid Votes
Invalid or Blank Votes
Total Votes

Gryfit Voivodeship

Results
	Votes	%
Yes (Tak)
No (Nie)
Valid Votes
Invalid or Blank Votes
Total Votes