|
total countries/territories: 80
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|---|
| Country/Territory |
Answers |
Comments |
Verified |
|
Albania
|
a. Government
d. Legislature
e. Other (specify who)
|
Initiators – members of the Assembly, the Council of Ministers, citizens- are entitled to finally form the question. In some cases the Constitutional Court preliminary reviews the constitutionality of the issues submitted to referendum.
Source:
Art 150 Constitution
|
2005/03/17
|
|
Algeria
|
c. President
|
Source:
Article 174, Constitution
|
2005/04/29
|
|
Argentina
|
f. Not applicable
|
|
2021/12/26
|
|
Austria
|
b. Independent electoral commission
|
Source:
§ 9 Volksabstimmungsgesetz 1972.
|
2005/04/26
|
|
Bahrain
|
e. Other (specify who)
|
the king
Source:
Article 43, Constitution
|
2005/05/01
|
|
Belarus
|
c. President
|
Source:
Art 117 Electoral Code
|
2005/03/25
|
|
Belgium
|
f. Not applicable
|
|
2012/05/04
|
|
Benin
|
d. Legislature
|
Source:
Constitution, Article 4.
Internal regulations of the National Assembly, Article 98.
|
2008/02/26
|
|
Botswana
|
f. Not applicable
|
|
2006/10/17
|
|
Bulgaria
|
d. Legislature
|
d) The National Assembly
Source:
Law for referendums, article 7
|
2006/11/03
|
|
Burkina Faso
|
b. Independent electoral commission
|
Source:
Assemblee Nationale
|
2005/04/12
|
|
Cambodia
|
f. Not applicable
|
|
2006/11/06
|
|
Canada
|
d. Legislature
|
d) A member of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada may give notice of a motion for the approval of the text of a referendum question, which has to be submitted for approval to the Leader of the Opposition and the leader of each political party having a recognized membership of twelve or more persons in the House of Commons. The question must be submitted to the House of Commons and the Senate for approval.
Source:
The Referendum Act of Canada
|
2006/12/10
|
|
Chile
|
c. President
|
|
2005/04/05
|
|
Colombia
|
e. Other (specify who)
|
|
2005/06/23
|
|
Comoros
|
f. Not applicable
|
|
2006/11/28
|
|
Cook Islands
|
f. Not applicable
|
Source:
Teokoati Joseph, Chief Probation Officer, Probation Service – Ministry of Justice
|
2007/01/08
|
|
Croatia
|
b. Independent electoral commission
|
Source:
Mr. Damir Azenic, GONG
|
2005/11/14
|
|
Cyprus
|
f. Not applicable
|
|
2012/04/26
|
|
Côte d'Ivoire
|
d. Legislature
|
Source:
Article 32 de la constitution
|
2005/04/07
|
|
Denmark
|
a. Government
|
|
2006/11/28
|
|
Ecuador
|
f. Not applicable
|
|
2005/04/26
|
|
Egypt
|
a. Government
|
Ministry of Interior with the help of internal small committees that are elected by the Minister of Interior.
Source:
Article 24, Political Rights Law
|
2025/09/30
|
|
Eritrea
|
f. Not applicable
|
Source:
Eritrean referendum proclamation no. 22/1992
|
2005/04/06
|
|
Estonia
|
d. Legislature
|
d) When a draft law is put to referendum, then the question itself is not drafted but fixed by the law. The parliament can decide whether to include the text of the draft law on the ballot or not (The Referendum Act art. 30). If a national issue is put to referendum, the question is decided by the parliament (The Riigikogu Rules Of Procedure Act art. 130).
Source:
The Referendum Act, art. 30; The Riigikogu Rules Of Procedure Act, art. 130
|
2006/11/29
|
|
Finland
|
d. Legislature
|
|
2005/04/14
|
|
Gambia
|
b. Independent electoral commission
|
|
2006/11/09
|
|
Ghana
|
f. Not applicable
|
Source:
1992 constitution
|
2005/12/15
|
|
Greece
|
a. Government
|
The Ministerial Council
Source:
Law 350/1976, Art. 9:1
|
2012/04/13
|
|
Guam
|
b. Independent electoral commission
|
Source:
Gerald A. Taitano, Executive Director, Guam Election Commission
|
2007/01/10
|
|
Israel
|
f. Not applicable
|
|
2015/03/15
|
|
Italy
|
e. Other (specify who)
|
E) An ad hoc Central Office in the Court of Cassation ("Corte di Cassazione")
Source:
Law of 25 May 1970, n. 352, Art. 32
|
2012/04/17
|
|
Kazakhstan
|
c. President
|
President of the Republic upon an initiative of theParliament, the Government or citizens of the Republic to appoint referendum shall take one of the following decisions:
1) to appoint a referendum;
2) to make changes and additions to the Constitution, to adopt the constitutional act, the law or any other decision on the question(questions) proposed as the subject of referendum without conduct of referendum;
3) to reject the initiative to appoint a referendum.
Source:
Article 17, Law on Referendum
|
2020/05/04
|
|
Kiribati
|
f. Not applicable
|
|
2020/05/03
|
|
Latvia
|
b. Independent electoral commission
|
Source:
Law on National Referendums and Legislative Initiatives, 1994, article 3.
|
2005/03/21
|
|
Lebanon
|
f. Not applicable
|
Source:
constitution
|
2005/05/17
|
|
Lesotho
|
f. Not applicable
|
There are no provisions for optional referendums in Lesotho.
|
2015/03/15
|
|
Liberia
|
b. Independent electoral commission
d. Legislature
|
New Electoral Law and Constitution
|
2005/09/30
|
|
Liechtenstein
|
a. Government
|
|
2005/05/03
|
|
Lithuania
|
d. Legislature
|
Source:
Law: Republic of Lithuania Law on Referendum, last amended on 6 May 2014 — No XII-860, art. 4.
|
2005/03/22
|
|
Macedonia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of
|
d. Legislature
|
Article 28
The referendum shall be announced by the Assembly with the decision.
The referendum shall be announced for the entire territory of the Republic of Macedonia.
Article 29
The decision for announcing a referendum shall establish the following: the type of referendum, the decision for which it will be decided, the text of the question that will be put on referendum, the day of announcing the referendum and the day of its holding.
Source:
Law on Referendum and civil initiative, Official Gazette of RM no. 24/98, art. 28, 29
https://www.legislationline.org/documents/id/5640
|
2020/04/23
|
|
Madagascar
|
b. Independent electoral commission
|
Source:
http://www.z6.com/z6files/z6files/fotw/flags/mg.html
|
2005/08/25
|
|
Malawi
|
f. Not applicable
|
|
2006/10/16
|
|
Malaysia
|
f. Not applicable
|
|
2007/01/07
|
|
Mali
|
b. Independent electoral commission
|
Source:
selon Monsieur Omar Kamian du CSC
|
2005/06/05
|
|
Moldova, Republic of
|
f. Not applicable
|
There are no general provisions. The ad hoc law would include the question. In the last referenda only the simple question with the options for answering yes or no was included. Within the detailed provisions of the law the Ministry for local government would design the ballot paper.
Source:
Kare Vollan, Director, Quality AS
|
2021/03/30
|
|
Morocco
|
e. Other (specify who)
|
The king
Source:
Article 103, 104 and 105, Constitution
|
2005/05/02
|
|
Mozambique
|
f. Not applicable
|
|
2006/10/16
|
|
Netherlands
|
e. Other (specify who)
|
e.)It depends on what is stated in the specific law. For the referendum on the European Constitution it was the Legislature.
|
2005/08/19
|
|
Niger
|
b. Independent electoral commission
|
Source:
Article 6 et Code electoral Section article 165 et Chapitre III et IV
|
2005/06/06
|
|
Norway
|
e. Other (specify who)
|
There are no general provisions. The ad hoc law would include the question. In the last referenda only the simple question with the options for answering yes or no was included. Within the detailed provisions of the law the Ministry for local government would design the ballot paper.
Source:
Kare Vollan, Director, Quality AS
|
2007/01/07
|
|
Palestine
|
f. Not applicable
|
|
2007/06/11
|
|
Poland
|
c. President
d. Legislature
|
The body that orders the referendum.
Source:
Act on all-national referendum of 14 March 2003
|
2005/10/30
|
|
Portugal
|
e. Other (specify who)
|
Constitutional court.
Source:
Constitution article 115, nr 8.
|
2005/04/20
|
|
Romania
|
c. President
|
Source:
Law on referendums, 2000, article 1-12.
|
2005/03/20
|
|
Russian Federation
|
b. Independent electoral commission
|
Central Election Commission formally confirms the final form and text of the ballot on Russian language. The Subject Election Commission confirms it on other language (Subject's official language).
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. 70.(1).
Federal Constitutional Act on the Referendum of Russian Federation of 2004. N 5/FK3 . Art.30.(14).
|
2005/03/19
|
|
Rwanda
|
b. Independent electoral commission
|
Source:
Electoral laws Article 175. http://aceproject.org/ero-en/regions/africa/RW/rwanda-organic-law-nb0-17-2003-of-07-07-2003/view
|
2018/11/02
|
|
Saint Kitts and Nevis
|
f. Not applicable
|
No official information provided.
|
2020/04/20
|
|
Senegal
|
a. Government
|
Source:
Tanor Thiendella Fall
|
2005/06/06
|
|
Seychelles
|
b. Independent electoral commission
|
Seychelles election commission
Source:
Seychelles election commission manual
|
2005/08/30
|
|
Sierra Leone
|
f. Not applicable
|
NOT PART OF SIERRA LEONE LAWS
|
2005/06/13
|
|
Singapore
|
f. Not applicable
|
|
2007/01/07
|
|
Solomon Islands
|
f. Not applicable
|
Source:
David Clark, Electoral Capacity Development Coordinator, Solomon Islands Election Commission
|
2007/01/09
|
|
Somalia
|
f. Not applicable
|
Source:
www.somalilandforum.com
|
2005/04/13
|
|
South Africa
|
b. Independent electoral commission
|
|
2006/10/17
|
|
Sudan
|
c. President
|
Source:
Article 128, Constitution
|
2005/05/03
|
|
Sweden
|
d. Legislature
|
d) The referendum question will be decided by the Parliament through a special legal act adopted before the referendum.
Source:
The Instrument of the Government Ch. 8, Section 4: Official Website of the Parliament: http://www.riksdagen.se/sv/Start/Bestall/Sprakversioner/English---engelska1/Sveriges-grundlagar-och-riksdagsordningen1/ (2012);
Act on National Referenda (SFS 1979:369): http://www.sweden.gov.se/content/1/c6/06/97/09/436f8d27.pdf (2012)
|
2012/05/16
|
|
Switzerland
|
a. Government
e. Other (specify who)
|
a) The Federal Council
Source:
Electoral Law of 17 December 1976 regulating political rights, Art. 11: Official website of the Swiss administration: http://www.admin.ch/ch/f/rs/161_1/index.html (2012)
|
2012/05/14
|
|
Togo
|
e. Other (specify who)
|
Source:
Constitution 1992 titre 1 article 4 alinea 3
|
2005/04/28
|
|
Tonga
|
f. Not applicable
|
|
2021/09/15
|
|
Tunisia
|
c. President
|
Source:
Articles 2, 47 and 72 of Constitution
|
2005/05/03
|
|
Turkey
|
c. President
|
Source:
Art 175 Constitution
|
2015/06/01
|
|
Uganda
|
b. Independent electoral commission
|
Source:
http://www.africaaction.org/docs00/ugan0004.htm
|
2005/08/24
|
|
Ukraine
|
f. Not applicable
|
|
2005/03/17
|
|
Uruguay
|
f. Not applicable
|
|
2006/04/11
|
|
Viet Nam
|
f. Not applicable
|
|
2021/03/25
|
|
Western Sahara
|
c. President
|
Source:
Article 119, Constitution
|
2009/08/14
|
|
Yemen
|
c. President
|
Source:
Article 119, Constitution
|
2005/05/03
|
|
Zambia
|
f. Not applicable
|
|
2006/10/16
|
