The majority electoral system for the Senate of the Republic of Poland – postulate and analysis of the consequences of introducing the absolute majority requirement

Abstract

The Polish Senate’s electoral system is based on the majority formula for 33 years. The Electoral Code introduced a new element – single-member constituencies, which, in combination with the relative majority, imply the danger of omitting significant part of votes and the threat of winning by candidates with no majority support. The postulate of an absolute majority with the possibility of a second round of voting seems to be a solution supporting chamber’s representativeness and accepted in doctrine. The author also examines the last three elections in terms of the influence of the required majority on their results. The conclusions confirm the legitimacy of the formulated postulate and indicate the need of comprehensive reform of the Senate’s electoral system.