Legal provisions for mandatory referendums at national level

Constitution of Colombia 1991 (rev. 2015)

Article 377. The constitutional reforms must be submitted to a referendum approved by Congress when referring to the rights recognized in Chapter I of Title II and to their guaranties, to the procedures of popular participation, or to Congress, if so requested, within the six months following the promulgation of the legislative act, by five percent of the citizens who make up the electoral rolls. The reform shall be understood to be defeated by a negative vote of the majority of the voters as long as at least one-fourth of those on the electoral rolls participate in the balloting.

Law 134 on Political Participation (Official Gazette 41.373 of May 31, 1994)

There are no explicit provisions for mandatory referendums in the legislation of the country. Even though some people interpret the Article 377 of the Constitution (see Source) as having provision for mandatory referendum, in our view its wording does not clearly indicate the compulsory nature of referendum.