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Direct Democracy

Choose a question: View data as:
Map Pie chart Bar chart Table by question Table by country CSV by question CSV by country

When was an administrative framework for direct democracy mechanisms first introduced at the national level? Date (yyyy)

total countries/territories: 128
Disclaimer: This section of Comparative Data is not being updated. Users should be aware that data may be inaccurate. If you find inaccuracies, please contact the ACE facilitators.
  • Afghanistan
    Mandatory referendum
  • Albania
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum 1998 Citizens' initiative 1998 Agenda initiative 1998 Recall Not applicable
  • Argentina
  • American Samoa
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Austria
    Mandatory referendum 1929 Optional referendum 1929 Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative 1921 Recall Not applicable
  • Burkina Faso
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable X
  • Bulgaria
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum 1996 Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Bahrain
    Mandatory referendum 2002 Optional referendum 2002 Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Benin
    Mandatory referendum 1960 Optional referendum 1960 Citizens' initiative 1960 Agenda initiative 1960 Recall 1960 Not applicable
  • Bolivia
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Botswana
    Mandatory referendum 1987 Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Belarus
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum 1994 Citizens' initiative 1994 Agenda initiative 1994 Recall 1994 Not applicable
  • Canada
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum 1992 Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Switzerland
    Mandatory referendum 1848 Optional referendum 1874 Citizens' initiative 1848 Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Côte d'Ivoire
    Mandatory referendum 1er Aout 2000 Optional referendum 7 Aout 1960 Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Cook Islands
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Colombia
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall mayo de 1994 Not applicable
  • Costa Rica
    Mandatory referendum
  • Cuba
    Mandatory referendum
  • Germany
    No direct democracy mechanisms at the national level with exceptions for the reorganization of the federal territory (Art. 29 para. 2 GG) and in the case of a new constitution (Art. 146 GG).
  • Denmark
    Mandatory referendum 1915 Optional referendum 1953 Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Algeria
    Mandatory referendum 1997 Optional referendum 1997 Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Ecuador
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Estonia
    Mandatory referendum 1920 (1919) Optional referendum 1920 (1919) Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Egypt
    Mandatory referendum 1956 Optional referendum 1956 Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Western Sahara
    Mandatory referendum 2001 Optional referendum 2001 Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Eritrea
    Mandatory referendum 1992 Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Ethiopia
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall 1999 Not applicable
  • Finland
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum 1.7.1987 Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Micronesia, Federated States of
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum 2000 Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Georgia
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • French Guiana
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Ghana
    Mandatory referendum 1957 Optional referendum Not appplicable Citizens' initiative 1957 Agenda initiative 1957 Recall Not applicable at the national level Not applicable
  • Gambia
    Mandatory referendum 1972 Constitution Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Guam
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Croatia
    Mandatory referendum 1991 Optional referendum 1991 Citizens' initiative 1991 Agenda initiative Recall 1991 Not applicable
  • Hungary
    Mandatory referendum 1989 Optional referendum 1989 Citizens' initiative 1989 Agenda initiative 1989 Recall Not applicable
  • Indonesia
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Israel
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable X
  • Iraq
    Mandatory referendum 2005 Optional referendum 2005 Citizens' initiative 2005 Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Iran, Islamic Republic of
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Iceland
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Italy
    A 1970 law provided the administrative framework.
  • Jordan
    Mandatory referendum
  • Japan
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Kenya
    Mandatory referendum 2004 Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Kyrgyzstan
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Kiribati
    Mandatory referendum 1979 Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Korea, Republic of
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Kazakhstan
    1991
  • Lao People's Democratic Republic
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Lebanon
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable X
  • Liechtenstein
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum 24 October 1921 Citizens' initiative 24 October 1921 Agenda initiative 24 October 1921 Recall 24 October 1921 Not applicable
  • Sri Lanka
    1971
  • Liberia
    Mandatory referendum 06/1/1986 Optional referendum 06/1/1986 Citizens' initiative 06/1/1986 Agenda initiative 06/1/1986 Recall 06/1/1986 Not applicable
  • Lesotho
    Mandatory referendum 1966 Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Lithuania
    Mandatory referendum 2002 Optional referendum 2002 Citizens' initiative 2002 Agenda initiative 2002 Recall Not applicable
  • Luxembourg
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Latvia
    Mandatory referendum 1994 Optional referendum 1994 Citizens' initiative 1994 Agenda initiative 1994 Recall Not applicable
  • Libyan Arab Jamahiriya
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Morocco
    Mandatory referendum 1996 Optional referendum 1996 Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Moldova, Republic of
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum At least in 1972 and 1994, possibly in all referenda the specific laws for the referendum called referred to the election law for the parliament for the administrative framework. Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Madagascar
    Mandatory referendum 1992 Optional referendum 1992 Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Macedonia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of
    Mandatory referendum 1991 Optional referendum 1991 Citizens' initiative 1991 Agenda initiative 1991 Recall Not applicable
  • Mali
    Mandatory referendum 25 fevrier 1992 Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall 25 fevrier 1992 Not applicable
  • Mongolia
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Mauritania
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Mauritius
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable Not Applicable
  • Maldives
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Malawi
    Mandatory referendum 1993 Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Malaysia
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Mozambique
    Mandatory referendum 1990 Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Namibia
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum 1992 Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Niger
    Mandatory referendum 18 juillet 1999 Optional referendum 18 juillet 1999 Citizens' initiative Pas de precision pour le moment Agenda initiative Pas de precision pour le moment Recall 18 juillet 1999 Not applicable
  • Nigeria
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Nicaragua
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Netherlands
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum 2002 and 4th February 2005 Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Norway
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum At least in 1972 and 1994, possibly in all referenda the specific laws for the referendum called referred to the election law for the parliament for the administrative framework. Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Nauru
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • New Zealand
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Panama
    Mandatory referendum in 1972 Optional referendum in 1972 Citizens' initiative in 1972 Agenda initiative Recall in 2004 Not applicable
  • Peru
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Papua New Guinea
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Philippines
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Pakistan
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Poland
    Mandatory referendum 1995 Optional referendum 1995 Citizens' initiative 1995 Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Puerto Rico
    Mandatory referendum
  • Palestine
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Palau
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Paraguay
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Qatar
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum 2003 Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Romania
    Mandatory referendum 2000 Optional referendum 2000 Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall 2000 Not applicable
  • Russian Federation
    Mandatory referendum 1991 Optional referendum 1991 Citizens' initiative 1991 Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Rwanda
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Solomon Islands
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable X
  • Seychelles
    Mandatory referendum 1 January 1994 Optional referendum 1 January 1994 Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Sudan
    Mandatory referendum 1998 Optional referendum 1998 Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Sweden
    Optional referendum - in 1922 Binding referendum - 1980
  • Singapore
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Slovakia
    Mandatory referendum 1992 Optional referendum 1992 Citizens' initiative 1992 Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Sierra Leone
    Mandatory referendum 1ST DECEMBER 1991 Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • San Marino
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Senegal
    Mandatory referendum 24 avril 1981 Optional referendum 24 avril 1981 Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall 24 avril 1981 Not applicable
  • Somalia
    Mandatory referendum 2000 Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • El Salvador
    Mandatory referendum
  • Syrian Arab Republic
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Togo
    Mandatory referendum 1992 Optional referendum * Citizens' initiative 1992 Agenda initiative 1992 Recall * Not applicable *
  • Thailand
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Tajikistan
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Timor-Leste
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Turkmenistan
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Tunisia
    Mandatory referendum 1959 Optional referendum 1959 Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Tonga
    N/A
  • Turkey
    Mandatory referendum 1982 Optional referendum 1982 Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Taiwan
  • Tanzania, United Republic of
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Ukraine
    Mandatory referendum 1991 Optional referendum 1991 Citizens' initiative 1991 Agenda initiative Recall 1991 Not applicable
  • Uganda
    Mandatory referendum 2000 Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • United States of America
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Uruguay
    Mandatory referendum 1967 Optional referendum Citizens' initiative 1934 Agenda initiative 1967 Recall Not applicable
  • Uzbekistan
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Viet Nam
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Vanuatu
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Yemen
    Mandatory referendum 2001 Optional referendum 2001 Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • South Africa
    Mandatory referendum Optional referendum 1994 Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Zambia
    Mandatory referendum 1967 Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable
  • Zimbabwe
    Mandatory referendum 1980 Optional referendum Citizens' initiative Agenda initiative Recall Not applicable