WARSAW - In a nationwide referendum, Poles narrowly approved a new constitution to replace the country's communist era charter, official results released late yesterday showed.
The PAP news agency quoted the State Election Commission as saying that of those taking part in the Sunday polls, 52.71 per cent backed the new constitution while 45.89 per cent were opposed, with 1.40 per cent of votes invalid. Out of 28.32 million eligible voters, 42.86 per cent cast their vote.
The constitution was passed by parliament on April 2nd and will take effect in just over three months. A "No" verdict would have left Poland with the remains of its discredited 1952 Stalinist constitution, amended by 1992 interim laws, until some future parliament could agree on a new version.
