The invention provides a novel photosensitive recording material in the shape of a multilayer element comprising(i) a photopolymerizable or photocrosslinkable relief-forming layer (RL) of a thickness from 0.1 to 6000 .mu.m and(ii) a dimensionally stable support layer.The said relief-forming layer (RL) consists essentially of an ionic polymer, of one or more photoinitiators and, if desired, of one or more photopolymerizable monomers.The said ionic polymer contains(A) from about 45 to 90% by weight, based on the ionic polymer, of a polymer main chain formed from an alkadiene polymer A',(B) from about 6 to about 45% by weight, based on the ionic polymer, of one or mored olefinically unsaturated side radicals having the structure (I), ##STR1## where R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are different and are each H or a carbon atom of A',R.sup.3 is a polyvalent, straight-chain or branched C.sub.1 -C.sub.20 -alkylene radical whose chain or branches may be interrupted by --O--, --N-- or --S--,X is --O--, --S-- or --NH--,Y is a polar group,Z is --CH.sub.2 --, --O--, ##STR2## R.sup.4 is H or CH.sub.3, Q is --COOH or --COO.sup..crclbar.,m is an integer from 1 to 3, and(C) from about 0.5 to about 10% by weight, based on the ionic polymer, of cations selected from the group consisting of cations of elements of the main groups I to V, of the subgroups I to VIII and of the lanthanide series of the periodic table of elements, of ammonia, of polyfunctional organic amines, and of hydrazine.In addition, the said ionic polymer may contain further side radicals D which are not photopolymerizable.The novel photosensitive recording material is highly suited for the production of printing plates, relief plates and photoresists.