|
total countries/territories: 118
|
|---|
| Country/Territory |
Answers |
Comments |
Verified |
|
Albania
|
c. No
|
The borders of the municipalities may not be changed without first hearing the opinion of their inhabitants. This requirement is mandatory; however, it has no binding effect.
Source:
Art. 108 Constitution.
|
2005/03/17
|
|
Algeria
|
a. Yes, in all municipalities/districts/communes
|
Source:
Articles 165, and 168 to 171, Electoral Law
|
2005/04/29
|
|
American Samoa
|
a. Yes, in all municipalities/districts/communes
|
Source:
Filivaa M. Mageo, Deputy Director of Elections, Territorial Election Office
|
2007/01/08
|
|
Andorra
|
c. No
|
|
2006/10/26
|
|
Anguilla
|
c. No
|
|
2006/10/30
|
|
Argentina
|
d. Not applicable
|
|
2021/12/26
|
|
Armenia
|
d. Not applicable
|
|
2005/03/30
|
|
Austria
|
c. No
|
|
2005/04/26
|
|
Azerbaijan
|
c. No
|
1.1.1. Referendum is defined in the Constitution as "voting of the citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan on issues stipulated in the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan."
Source:
Election Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Art. 1.1.
https://www.legislationline.org/download/id/7885/file/Azerbaijan_Election_am2017_en.pdf
|
2022/02/07
|
|
Bahamas
|
c. No
|
Source:
The Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas (CCB)
|
2006/11/15
|
|
Bahrain
|
a. Yes, in all municipalities/districts/communes
|
The King may conduct a popular referendum on important laws and issues connected with the interests of the State. The issue on which the referendum has been held is considered to have been agreed upon if approved by a majority of those who cast their votes. The result of the referendum shall be binding on all and effective from the date it is declared and it shall be published in the Official Gazette
Source:
Article 43 of Constitution
|
2005/05/01
|
|
Belarus
|
c. No
|
Source:
Art 73 et seq Constitution, 125 et seq. Electoral Code
|
2005/03/25
|
|
Belgium
|
c. No
|
|
2012/05/04
|
|
Belize
|
c. No
|
Source:
1981 Constitution, updated through 1988 reforms.
|
2005/10/14
|
|
Benin
|
c. No
|
Source:
Mr Theodule Nouatchi enseignant de droit a l'universite au benin.
Constitution, Articles 4 and 58.
|
2008/02/26
|
|
Bosnia and Herzegovina
|
c. No
|
|
2006/11/04
|
|
Botswana
|
c. No
|
A referendum can only be called at the national level.
Source:
The Constitution of Botswana, Section 89 (4); The Referendum Act of the Laws of Botswana, Chapter 02:10 section 3
|
2006/10/17
|
|
Bulgaria
|
c. No
|
|
2006/11/03
|
|
Burkina Faso
|
d. Not applicable
|
|
2005/04/12
|
|
Cambodia
|
c. No
|
|
2006/11/06
|
|
Canada
|
b. Yes, in some municipalities/districts/communes
|
|
2006/12/10
|
|
Cape Verde
|
c. No
|
|
2006/11/27
|
|
Chile
|
c. No
|
|
2005/04/05
|
|
Colombia
|
d. Not applicable
|
|
2005/06/24
|
|
Croatia
|
d. Not applicable
|
Source:
Mr. Damir Azenic, GONG
|
2005/11/14
|
|
Cyprus
|
c. No
|
|
2006/11/28
|
|
Czech Republic
|
c. No
|
|
2006/11/28
|
|
Côte d'Ivoire
|
d. Not applicable
|
Source:
DOGOU ALAIN, Rapporteur de la sous commission des operations electorales de la COMMISSION ELECTORALE INDEPENDANTE
|
2005/04/06
|
|
Denmark
|
b. Yes, in some municipalities/districts/communes
|
b) There are no formal regulations; provisions for referendums vary from commune to commune.
|
2006/12/03
|
|
Dominican Republic
|
c. No
|
Source:
2002 Constitution.
|
2009/07/05
|
|
Ecuador
|
a. Yes, in all municipalities/districts/communes
|
Source:
Constitución Política: Arts., 103 al 108
|
2005/04/25
|
|
Egypt
|
a. Yes, in all municipalities/districts/communes
|
Source:
Article 62, Constitution
Article 1, Political Rights Law
|
2005/05/17
|
|
Eritrea
|
a. Yes, in all municipalities/districts/communes
|
Source:
Eritrean referendum proclamation no. 22/1992
|
2005/08/26
|
|
Estonia
|
c. No
|
|
2006/11/29
|
|
Finland
|
c. No
|
|
2005/04/13
|
|
France
|
c. No
|
Source:
Constitution, Art. 72-1;
General Code of Local Authorities, Art. LO1112-1 to LO1112-7
|
2012/05/03
|
|
Gambia
|
c. No
|
|
2006/11/09
|
|
Georgia
|
c. No
|
|
2006/11/30
|
|
Germany
|
c. No
|
|
2005/04/13
|
|
Ghana
|
a. Yes, in all municipalities/districts/communes
|
Source:
The Local Governemnt Act, Act 462
|
2005/12/15
|
|
Greece
|
c. No
|
|
2012/04/13
|
|
Guam
|
c. No
|
Source:
Gerald A. Taitano, Executive Director, Guam Election Commission
|
2007/01/10
|
|
Hungary
|
a. Yes, in all municipalities/districts/communes
|
C:44 "(1) Eligible voters exercise the right to local government through the representative body that they elect and by way of local referendum."
Source:
The Constitution of the Republic of Hungary, art. 44
|
2006/12/01
|
|
Iran, Islamic Republic of
|
c. No
|
Mandatory referendums only occur for Constitutional Ammendments
Source:
Constitution of The Islamic Republic of Iran (1989), Art. 177 https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Iran_1989.pdf
Direct Democracy: The International IDEA Handbook (2008) http://www.idea.int/publications/direct_democracy/index.cfm
|
2016/01/23
|
|
Iraq
|
b. Yes, in some municipalities/districts/communes
|
Referenda on the status of Kirkuk and other disputes territories (Art.136.2)
Source:
Jose Maria Aranaz, Legal Advisor, UN-EAD
|
2007/01/03
|
|
Ireland
|
c. No
|
|
2012/05/10
|
|
Israel
|
d. Not applicable
|
|
2015/03/15
|
|
Italy
|
a. Yes, in all municipalities/districts/communes
|
Municipalities and provinces can call for a referendum to join a region different from their own.
Source:
Constitution, Art. 132
|
2012/04/17
|
|
Jamaica
|
c. No
|
Source:
1962 Constitution with reforms through 1999.
|
2005/10/14
|
|
Japan
|
c. No
|
|
2007/01/07
|
|
Kazakhstan
|
d. Not applicable
|
|
2020/05/04
|
|
Kiribati
|
a. Yes, in all municipalities/districts/communes
|
a) Island Councils
Source:
Local Government Act 2005
|
2020/05/03
|
|
Korea, Republic of
|
a. Yes, in all municipalities/districts/communes
|
Source:
Local Referendum Act
|
2007/01/04
|
|
Latvia
|
c. No
|
|
2005/03/21
|
|
Lebanon
|
d. Not applicable
|
Source:
Articles 76 to 79, Constitution
|
2005/05/17
|
|
Lesotho
|
c. No
|
In Lesotho, a referendum can only take place at a national level and not provincial or district levels. This is partly because Lesotho is not a federal state with relatively autonomous regions/provinces/states.
Source:
The 1993 Constitution
|
2015/03/15
|
|
Liberia
|
c. No
|
|
2005/09/30
|
|
Liechtenstein
|
c. No
|
|
2005/05/03
|
|
Lithuania
|
c. No
|
|
2005/03/21
|
|
Macedonia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of
|
c. No
|
Not mandatory, just optional:
Law on Referendum, Article 8
Referendum may be announced also in the units of the local self-government for issues that have local significance and which are under the authority of the units of the local self-government.
Source:
Law on Referendum and civil initiative, Official Gazette of RM no. 24/98, art. 8
https://www.legislationline.org/documents/id/5640
|
2020/04/23
|
|
Madagascar
|
c. No
|
Not mentioned in law
|
2005/08/25
|
|
Malawi
|
c. No
|
|
2006/10/16
|
|
Malaysia
|
d. Not applicable
|
|
2007/01/07
|
|
Mali
|
c. No
|
|
2005/06/03
|
|
Malta
|
a. Yes, in all municipalities/districts/communes
|
Source:
Art. 6 of the Referenda Act (Cap. 237)
|
2006/11/22
|
|
Mauritius
|
d. Not applicable
|
|
2007/06/01
|
|
Mexico
|
c. No
|
Source:
Constitutions and electoral legislations of the 31 states and the Federal District.
|
2005/10/13
|
|
Micronesia, Federated States of
|
a. Yes, in all municipalities/districts/communes
|
Source:
Johnathan John, Director, FSM Elections
|
2007/01/08
|
|
Moldova, Republic of
|
c. No
|
Source:
Kare Vollan, Director, Quality AS
|
2021/03/30
|
|
Montenegro
|
a. Yes, in all municipalities/districts/communes
|
Art. 2: Referendum in a municipality, the capital city of the Republic i.e. the administrative center (hereinafter referred to as: the municipality) shall be called for the purpose of a prior pronouncement of citizens on specific issues lying within the competence of the municipal assembly.
Art. 3: The municipal referendum must be called for the purpose of a prior pronouncement of citizens on the establishment of new municipalities, abolishment or amalgamation of the existing municipalities and any changes in the domicile of municipalities.
Source:
Law: Law on Referendum as of 19 February 2001, Art. 2, 3
https://www.venice.coe.int/webforms/documents/default.aspx?pdffile=CDL(2005)076-e
|
2021/12/25
|
|
Morocco
|
a. Yes, in all municipalities/districts/communes
|
Source:
Article 109, Electoral Law
|
2005/05/02
|
|
Mozambique
|
c. No
|
|
2006/10/16
|
|
Namibia
|
c. No
|
Source:
The Constitution of the Republic of Namibia
|
2006/10/17
|
|
Netherlands
|
d. Not applicable
|
|
2005/08/19
|
|
Niger
|
c. No
|
Source:
Articles 6, 49, 134, 135, 136, 137 de la constitution
|
2005/06/06
|
|
Nigeria
|
a. Yes, in all municipalities/districts/communes
|
C:8 "(3) A bill for a Law of a House of Assembly for the purpose of creating a new local government area shall only be passed if - [...] (b) a proposal for the creation of the local government area is thereafter approved in a referendum by at least two-thirds majority of the people of the local government area where the demand for the proposed local government area originated; (c) the result of the referendum is then approved by a simple majority of the members in each local government council in a majority of all the local government councils in the State; and (d) the result of the referendum is approved by a resolution passed by two-thirds majority of members of the House of Assembly."
Source:
The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, art. 8(3)
|
2006/12/30
|
|
Norway
|
c. No
|
Source:
Kare Vollan, Director, Quality AS
|
2007/01/07
|
|
Palestine
|
d. Not applicable
|
No provisions for DD in current laws.
|
2007/06/11
|
|
Philippines
|
a. Yes, in all municipalities/districts/communes
|
Source:
Art. X, Sec. 3, Constitution
|
2005/07/08
|
|
Poland
|
c. No
|
Source:
Act on local referendum of 15 September 2000
and
Mr. Henryk Bielski, specialist of the National Electoral Office
|
2006/12/25
|
|
Portugal
|
c. No
|
|
2012/04/20
|
|
Romania
|
c. No
|
Source:
Law on referendums, 2000, article 2 and 13-14.
|
2005/03/20
|
|
Russian Federation
|
a. Yes, in all municipalities/districts/communes
|
It is permitted by the federal acts but the concrete use of it depends on the specific municipal statutes.
Source:
Act on Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum of 2002. N 67/ F3. Art. 12.(3).
Constitution of 12th December 1993, Art. 130.(2).
|
2005/03/19
|
|
Saint Kitts and Nevis
|
d. Not applicable
|
Referendums are optional.
|
2020/04/20
|
|
Senegal
|
c. No
|
Source:
Articles 51 et 103 de la constitution
|
2005/06/05
|
|
Seychelles
|
c. No
|
Source:
http://www.mongabay.com/reference/country_studies/seychelles/GOVERNMENT.html
|
2005/08/30
|
|
Sierra Leone
|
c. No
|
NOT PART OF SIERRA LEONE LAWS
|
2005/06/13
|
|
Singapore
|
c. No
|
Source:
Constitution, article 5 (2A)
Constitution, article 5A
|
2007/01/07
|
|
Slovakia
|
a. Yes, in all municipalities/districts/communes
|
a) The community decides independently in matters of local self-administration. Duties and restrictions may be imposed on it only by the law. Territorial self-administration is enacted at meetings of community residents, by means of a local referendum, or through community bodies.
Source:
The Constitution of the Slovak Republic (1992), Art. 67(1); the Act on Municipality Bodies and Administration of Municipality Matters (1990), 11a
|
2006/12/10
|
|
Solomon Islands
|
c. No
|
Source:
David Clark, Electoral Capacity Development Coordinator, Solomon Islands Election Commission
|
2007/01/09
|
|
Somalia
|
a. Yes, in all municipalities/districts/communes
|
Source:
The law of the referendum constitution of the republic of Somalia article 10
|
2005/04/13
|
|
South Africa
|
c. No
|
|
2006/10/17
|
|
Spain
|
c. No
|
|
2012/04/18
|
|
Sri Lanka
|
c. No
|
|
2016/02/15
|
|
Sudan
|
a. Yes, in all municipalities/districts/communes
|
Source:
Article 66 and 128, Constitution and Electoral Law
|
2005/05/02
|
|
Swaziland
|
c. No
|
|
2006/10/16
|
|
Sweden
|
c. No
|
|
2012/05/16
|
|
Switzerland
|
b. Yes, in some municipalities/districts/communes
|
Switzerland has approximately 3 000 communes which all have different forms of direct democracy instruments.
|
2012/05/14
|
|
Taiwan
|
d. Not applicable
|
|
2020/03/31
|
|
Togo
|
c. No
|
Source:
Mr Theodule Nouatchi enseignant de droit a l'universite au benin
|
2005/04/28
|
|
Tonga
|
d. Not applicable
|
|
2021/09/15
|
|
Trinidad and Tobago
|
c. No
|
Source:
1976 Constitution with reforms through 2000.
|
2015/05/22
|
|
Tunisia
|
a. Yes, in all municipalities/districts/communes
|
Source:
Articles 2, 47 and 72 of Constitution
|
2005/05/03
|
|
Turkey
|
c. No
|
Source:
Art 175 Constitution
|
2015/06/01
|
|
Turkmenistan
|
c. No
|
|
2007/01/06
|
|
Uganda
|
a. Yes, in all municipalities/districts/communes
|
Source:
http://www.africaaction.org/docs00/ugan0004.htm
|
2005/08/24
|
|
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
|
c. No
|
|
2012/05/09
|
|
United States of America
|
b. Yes, in some municipalities/districts/communes
|
|
2007/01/06
|
|
Uruguay
|
a. Yes, in all municipalities/districts/communes
|
Los institutos, ya sea el referéndum, la iniciativa ciudadana o popular, y la iniciativa legislativa se pueden interponer en todo los departamentos (o Municipios) del país; pero también se puede interponer un recurso en un solo Departamento o Municipio, en los casos vistos en el punto DD17-DD21.
|
2006/04/11
|
|
Uzbekistan
|
d. Not applicable
|
|
2009/08/18
|
|
Vanuatu
|
c. No
|
|
2016/01/27
|
|
Venezuela
|
d. Not applicable
|
|
2006/04/07
|
|
Viet Nam
|
c. No
|
The referendum only possible at the Legislative level
Source:
https://e.vnexpress.net/news/news/vietnam-s-public-referendum-act-comes-into-effect-today-3429065.html
|
2021/03/25
|
|
Western Sahara
|
a. Yes, in all municipalities/districts/communes
|
Source:
Articles 119, 158, and 159, Constitution
|
2009/08/14
|
|
Yemen
|
a. Yes, in all municipalities/districts/communes
|
Source:
Articles 119, 158, and 159, Constitution
|
2005/05/03
|
|
Zambia
|
c. No
|
|
2006/10/16
|
|
Zimbabwe
|
c. No
|
Source:
Maureen Nthabiseng Moloi, EISA
|
2018/10/31
|
