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A '''mandatory referendum''', also known as an '''obligatory referendum''', is a [[referendum]] that must be held as a legal requirement in certain circumstances or in order to perform certain governmental actions. This is in contrast to an [[optional referendum]], which comes from either by public or legislative request. The actions that require mandatory referendums are set in law and normally concern matters of major public significance. The most commonly found example is a required referendum to adopt or amend a national [[constitution]], which exists in many countries.<ref>{{Cite web|title=ACE|url=https://aceproject.org/ace-en/focus/direct-democracy/referendums/mobile_browsing/onePag|access-date=2021-04-29|website=aceproject.org}}</ref> |
A '''mandatory referendum''', also known as an '''obligatory referendum''', is a [[referendum]] that must be held as a legal requirement in certain circumstances or in order to perform certain governmental actions. This is in contrast to an [[optional referendum]], which comes from either by public or legislative request. The actions that require mandatory referendums are set in law and normally concern matters of major public significance. The most commonly found example is a required referendum to adopt or amend a national [[constitution]], which exists in many countries.<ref>{{Cite web|title=ACE|url=https://aceproject.org/ace-en/focus/direct-democracy/referendums/mobile_browsing/onePag|access-date=2021-04-29|website=aceproject.org}}</ref> |
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== Austria == |
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In [[Austria]], a mandatory referendum at the federal level is provided for in the event of an overall amendment to the [[Constitution of Austria|federal constitution]] (Art. 44 para. 3 B-VG). An overall amendment to the constitution occurs when one or more of the construction principles of the constitution (democratic, federal, rule of law, separation of powers or liberal construction principle) are seriously changed.<ref>{{Citation|last=Öhlinger|first=Theo|title=Die Wirtschaftsverfassung der EU|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-211-73603-6_11|work=Die europäische Wirtschaftsverfassung de lege lata et ferenda|pages=269–283|place=Vienna|publisher=Springer Vienna|isbn=978-3-211-73602-9|access-date=2021-04-29}}</ref> It is controversial whether only the [[National Council (Austria)|National Council]] or also the [[President of Austria|Federal President]] can decide whether a constitutional amendment is categorized as an overall amendment and whether a referendum should therefore be held.<ref>{{Citation|last=Öhlinger|first=Theo|title=Die Wirtschaftsverfassung der EU|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-211-73603-6_11|work=Die europäische Wirtschaftsverfassung de lege lata et ferenda|pages=269–283|place=Vienna|publisher=Springer Vienna|isbn=978-3-211-73602-9|access-date=2021-04-29}}</ref> According to the case law of the [[Constitutional Court (Austria)|Constitutional Court]], the implementation of a referendum cannot be forced, but is finally decided by the National Council. Failure to hold a referendum in the event of an overall amendment to the Federal Constitution can only be criticized as a procedural defect in the legislative process. |
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The [[1994 Austrian European Union membership referendum|referendum of June 12, 1994]] on Austria's accession to the [[European Union]] was an obligatory referendum at the federal level.<ref>{{Citation|last=Rapp|first=Sebastian|title=VIII. Volksabstimmung vom 14. Juni 2015|date=2016|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.5771/9783845279404-558|work=Direkte Demokratie in der Schweiz|pages=558–579|publisher=Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG|isbn=978-3-8452-7940-4|access-date=2021-04-29}}</ref> In the summer of 2008 - a few weeks after the ratification of the [[Treaty of Lisbon|Lisbon Treaty]] - the [[Social Democratic Party of Austria|Social Democractic Party of Austria]] campaigned for mandatory referendums on major changes to the EU treaties.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=King|first=Manfred|date=2012-06|title=Facharztvertrag Psychotherapie startet im Juli|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s15200-012-0600-9|journal=Der Hausarzt|volume=49|issue=11|pages=22–22|doi=10.1007/s15200-012-0600-9|issn=1434-8950}}</ref> A corresponding parliamentary initiative requested mandatory referendums on major EU treaty amendments.<ref>Initiativantrag von FPÖ, SPÖ und BZÖ zu Volksabstimmungen über EU-Verträge (Memento vom 11. September 2012 im Webarchiv ''archive.today'') eingebracht am 12. September 2008<ref>{{Webarchiv | url=http://eu-forum.eu/blog/?p=36 | archive-is=20120711 | text=Brief an den Herausgeber der Kronen-Zeitung}}</ref> Ein entsprechender parlamentarischer Initiativantrag für obligatorische Volksabstimmungen über wesentliche EU-Vertragsänderungen<ref>{{Webarchiv | url=http://www.mehr-demokratie.at/direkte-demokratie/bundesebene/initiativantraege-zu-direkter-demokratie/247-initiativantrag-fpoe-spoe-bzoe-2008.html | archive-is=20120911 | text=Initiativantrag von FPÖ, SPÖ und BZÖ zu Volksabstimmungen über EU-Verträge}} initially found a parliamentary majority, but ultimately failed due to the requirement of a two-thirds majority. |
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A decision by the [[Federal Assembly (Austria)|Federal Assembly]] to remove the Federal President before the end of his term of office (Art. 60, Para. 6 B-VG) triggers a mandatory referendum. So far there has been no use case for this. |
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=== Local referendums in Austria === |
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At the state level, mandatory referendums are planned in the states of [[Vorarlberg]] and [[Salzburg (state)|Salzburg]]. In Salzburg, every "general amendment to the state constitution" must be submitted to a referendum before it is announced in the state law gazette. [8] In Vorarlberg, a mandatory referendum for individual, specially designated fundamental changes is ordered. [9] In 1998 there was an obligatory referendum in Salzburg to abolish the mandatory [[proportional representation]] of the state government.[10] |
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The mandatory referendum in the [[Salzburg|city of Salzburg]] is planned at the municipal level. A referendum must be held in the event of a significant change in the urban landscapes that shape the cityscape. [11] In this way, the protection of urban landscapes anchored in the City of Salzburg's Grassland Declaration [12] is safeguarded against deterioration. In [[Carinthia]] there is a mandatory referendum in the event of a planned demise of a municipality. [13] |
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== Switzerland == |
== Switzerland == |
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{{See also|Voting in Switzerland|Politics of Switzerland}}[[File:Votation Societe des Nations 1920.jpg|thumb|A poster in support of the admission of [[Switzerland]] in the [[League of Nations]] (1920). Switzerland joined the [[United Nations]] in 2002.]]Mandatory referendums in [[Switzerland]], generally known as a obligatory referendum ({{lang-de|obligatorisches Referendum}}, {{lang-fr|référendum obligatoire}}, {{lang-it|referendum obbligatorio}}, {{lang-rm|referendum obligatoric}}) are a relatively common instrument of [[direct democracy]]. It is a mechanism that holds mandatory [[Voting in Switzerland|votation]] of some decisions of the [[Federal Assembly (Switzerland)|federal]], [[cantonal]], or [[Municipalities of Switzerland|municipal]] parliament and/or government, such as modifications of the Constitution or adhesion to supranational communities on a federal or cantonal level, or for example substantial financial decisions decreed by cantonal and/or communal executive and/or legislative bodies.<ref name="refdum">{{cite web|title=Referendums|url=https://www.ch.ch/en/referendum|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170110092314/https://www.ch.ch/en/referendum|archive-date=10 January 2017|access-date=2017-01-09|website=ch.ch - A service of the Confederation, cantons and communes|publisher=Swiss Confederation|location=Berne, Switzerland|df=dmy-all}}</ref> |
{{See also|Voting in Switzerland|Politics of Switzerland}}[[File:Votation Societe des Nations 1920.jpg|thumb|A poster in support of the admission of [[Switzerland]] in the [[League of Nations]] (1920). Switzerland joined the [[United Nations]] in 2002.]]Mandatory referendums in [[Switzerland]], generally known as a obligatory referendum ({{lang-de|obligatorisches Referendum}}, {{lang-fr|référendum obligatoire}}, {{lang-it|referendum obbligatorio}}, {{lang-rm|referendum obligatoric}}) are a relatively common instrument of [[direct democracy]]. It is a mechanism that holds mandatory [[Voting in Switzerland|votation]] of some decisions of the [[Federal Assembly (Switzerland)|federal]], [[cantonal]], or [[Municipalities of Switzerland|municipal]] parliament and/or government, such as modifications of the Constitution or adhesion to supranational communities on a federal or cantonal level, or for example substantial financial decisions decreed by cantonal and/or communal executive and/or legislative bodies.<ref name="refdum">{{cite web|title=Referendums|url=https://www.ch.ch/en/referendum|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170110092314/https://www.ch.ch/en/referendum|archive-date=10 January 2017|access-date=2017-01-09|website=ch.ch - A service of the Confederation, cantons and communes|publisher=Swiss Confederation|location=Berne, Switzerland|df=dmy-all}}</ref> |
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=== National mandatory referendums in Switzerland === |
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Switzerland has three main subjects that require a mandatory referendum at the federal level:<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://www.idea.int/sites/default/files/publications/direct-democracy-the-international-idea-handbook_0.pdf|title=Direct Democracy|publisher=The International IDEA Handbook|year=2008|isbn=978-91-85724-50-5|pages=27}}</ref> |
Switzerland has three main subjects that require a mandatory referendum at the federal level:<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://www.idea.int/sites/default/files/publications/direct-democracy-the-international-idea-handbook_0.pdf|title=Direct Democracy|publisher=The International IDEA Handbook|year=2008|isbn=978-91-85724-50-5|pages=27}}</ref> |
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Revision as of 04:38, 29 April 2021
A mandatory referendum, also known as an obligatory referendum, is a referendum that must be held as a legal requirement in certain circumstances or in order to perform certain governmental actions. This is in contrast to an optional referendum, which comes from either by public or legislative request. The actions that require mandatory referendums are set in law and normally concern matters of major public significance. The most commonly found example is a required referendum to adopt or amend a national constitution, which exists in many countries.[1]
Austria
In Austria, a mandatory referendum at the federal level is provided for in the event of an overall amendment to the federal constitution (Art. 44 para. 3 B-VG). An overall amendment to the constitution occurs when one or more of the construction principles of the constitution (democratic, federal, rule of law, separation of powers or liberal construction principle) are seriously changed.[2] It is controversial whether only the National Council or also the Federal President can decide whether a constitutional amendment is categorized as an overall amendment and whether a referendum should therefore be held.[3] According to the case law of the Constitutional Court, the implementation of a referendum cannot be forced, but is finally decided by the National Council. Failure to hold a referendum in the event of an overall amendment to the Federal Constitution can only be criticized as a procedural defect in the legislative process.
The referendum of June 12, 1994 on Austria's accession to the European Union was an obligatory referendum at the federal level.[4] In the summer of 2008 - a few weeks after the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty - the Social Democractic Party of Austria campaigned for mandatory referendums on major changes to the EU treaties.[5] A corresponding parliamentary initiative requested mandatory referendums on major EU treaty amendments.Cite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page). Ein entsprechender parlamentarischer Initiativantrag für obligatorische Volksabstimmungen über wesentliche EU-VertragsänderungenCite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page).
National mandatory referendums in Switzerland
Switzerland has three main subjects that require a mandatory referendum at the federal level:[6]
- For a total or partial revision of the federal constitution
- To join a collective security organization (e.g. the United Nations) or a supranational community (e.g. the European Union)
- To introduce urgent federal legislation without the required constitutional basis and which will be in force for longer than a year.
The three subjects above require both a majority of the votes in the popular vote as well as in majority of the cantons (double majority).
See also
Bibliography
- Vincent Golay and Mix et Remix, Swiss political institutions, Éditions loisirs et pédagogie, 2008. ISBN 978-2-606-01295-3.
References
- ^ "ACE". aceproject.org. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
- ^ Öhlinger, Theo, "Die Wirtschaftsverfassung der EU", Die europäische Wirtschaftsverfassung de lege lata et ferenda, Vienna: Springer Vienna, pp. 269–283, ISBN 978-3-211-73602-9, retrieved 29 April 2021
- ^ Öhlinger, Theo, "Die Wirtschaftsverfassung der EU", Die europäische Wirtschaftsverfassung de lege lata et ferenda, Vienna: Springer Vienna, pp. 269–283, ISBN 978-3-211-73602-9, retrieved 29 April 2021
- ^ Rapp, Sebastian (2016), "VIII. Volksabstimmung vom 14. Juni 2015", Direkte Demokratie in der Schweiz, Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, pp. 558–579, ISBN 978-3-8452-7940-4, retrieved 29 April 2021
- ^ King, Manfred (2012-06). "Facharztvertrag Psychotherapie startet im Juli". Der Hausarzt. 49 (11): 22–22. doi:10.1007/s15200-012-0600-9. ISSN 1434-8950.
{{cite journal}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Direct Democracy (PDF). The International IDEA Handbook. 2008. p. 27. ISBN 978-91-85724-50-5.
External links
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