EU Referendum Hangs on Turnout

Poland’s two-day referendum on joining the European Union looked set to go down to the wire after turnout on day one fell far short of the 50% needed to make the result binding.

Only 5.2 million Poles, or 17.6% of the 29.7 million eligible voters, cast their ballots Saturday. The poor showing confirmed the worst fears of Poland’s pro-EU leadership that the countryside would boycott the plebiscite. For the result to be binding, the number of people voting today would have to be double Saturday’s total to avoid having to get Parliament to ratify EU entry.