Poll: 55% of Poles support nationwide nighttime alcohol ban as Sejm prepares vote
A new IBRiS poll for 'Rzeczpospolita' shows 54.9% of Poles support a nationwide ban on nighttime alcohol sales, with 32.6% favoring a ban from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. The Sejm may vote on the proposal as early as July.
A majority of Poles back a nationwide ban on alcohol sales during nighttime hours, according to a survey published on Thursday. The poll, conducted by IBRiS for 'Rzeczpospolita' on June 12–13 among 1,068 respondents, found that 54.9% support such a restriction, 12 percentage points more than the 42.9% who oppose it. The finding comes as Warsaw extended its own city-wide ban on June 1 and as two legislative proposals await a Sejm vote.
Survey results
When asked whether a nationwide ban should be introduced, 42.9% answered no. Among supporters, 32.6% would set the ban from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., 16.9% from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., and 5.5% preferred other hours. The total backing therefore reaches 54.9%. The survey reveals a significant gender gap: only 25% of women oppose the ban, compared with 62% of men. Opposition is also lower among residents of the largest cities (over 500,000 inhabitants) at 26%, against 47% in small towns.
- Support ban
- 54.9 %
- Oppose ban
- 42.9 %
- No answer / other
- 2.2 %
Demographic divides
Partisan affiliation also splits the responses. Among ruling-coalition supporters, 36% say no to the ban, while among opposition voters that figure climbs to 47%. By age, the youngest cohort (18–29) and those aged 40–49 show the least support, whereas the strongest backing comes from the 50–59 group. The survey was carried out on a nationwide sample of 1,068 people.
Legislative battle
Two bills are currently being examined by a special Sejm subcommittee. The Left (Lewica) proposal mandates a nationwide ban from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., eliminates alcohol from petrol stations, and outlaws advertising and price promotions. The more liberal Poland 2050 bill also bans advertising but gives local councils the option to extend nighttime restrictions rather than imposing a top-down rule.
(Confederation will likely be against, PiS will split, and everything will depend on President Karol Nawrocki. There is a strong social demand for such a change.) Wicha, a Left MP and one of the bill’s sponsors, added that people want safe streets and calm hospital emergency rooms.Konfederacja zapewne będzie przeciw, PiS się podzieli, a wszystko będzie zależeć od prezydenta Karola Nawrockiego. Jest duże zapotrzebowanie społeczne na taką zmianę.
Warsaw's pilot model
The capital’s experience offers a preview. From November 2025 to May 2026, a pilot ban in Śródmieście and Praga-Północ districts cut Municipal Guard nighttime interventions by over 6% while they rose more than 12% in other districts. Police call‑outs related to public drinking also fell more sharply in the restricted zones. On June 1, Warsaw rolled out the ban across the entire city, exempting only restaurants and Fryderyk Chopin Airport.
- Warsaw begins pilot ban in Śródmieście and Praga-Północ districts
- Warsaw extends ban city-wide (excludes restaurants and airport)
- IBRiS survey of 1,068 Poles conducted
- Sejm may vote on nationwide ban (July or September)
Shifting attitudes
(The poll is another proof of the evolution in Poles’ approach to alcohol restrictions.) Publicist and social activist Jan Śpiewak, credited with pushing for Warsaw’s ban, noted that even those who drink want to do so responsibly so that the costs of abuse do not fall on the whole society. With the Sejm likely to vote in July or September, the survey strengthens the hand of prohibition advocates.Wyniki sondażu to kolejny dowód na ewolucję w podejściu Polaków do różnych ograniczeń związanych z alkoholem.
