A referendum (also known as a plebiscite or a vote on a ballot question) is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of direct democracy.

The word plebiscite comes from the Latin plebiscita, which originally meant a decree of the Concilium Plebis, the popular assembly of the Roman Republic. Referendums and referenda are both commonly used as plurals of referendum. However, the use of referenda is deprecated by the Oxford English Dictionary, which advises that:

In the United States, a plebiscite is typically known as an initiative when originating in a petition of ordinary citizens, and as a referendum only if it consists of a proposal referred to voters by the legislature. A plebiscite can be considered a kind of election and is often referred to as such in the U.S. (an election literally means a choice). In other countries, the term election is often reserved for events in which elected representatives are chosen.

Stanisław Michalkiewicz (born 8 November 1947 in Lublin) is a Polish liberal conservative political commentator, lawyer and politician.

He graduated in 1969 from Maria Curie-Skłodowska University with a law degree. In 1972 he completed postgraduate studies at the University of Warsaw.

He publishes columns and articles in several newspapers and magazines, such as Najwyższy Czas!, Powściągliwość i Praca, Nasza Polska, Nasz Dziennik, Gazeta Polska, Dziennik Polski, Niezależna Gazeta Polska, Goniec and others.

He wrote several sociopolitical books. His feature articles are transmitted by Polskie Radio Program I (Polish Radio One), Radio Maryja and TV channel Telewizja Trwam.

In 1987 he co-founded Ruch Polityki Realnej which subsequently transformed into Unia Polityki Realnej. He served as the Chairman (1997-1999) and Vice-Chairman (2004 to 18 April 2005) of Unia Polityki Realnej.

Between 1991 and 1993, he served as a judge at the State Tribunal of the Republic of Poland.