Issues in relation to which referendums are mandatory at the national level

CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA

(Adopted1992; last amended 2006)

http://www3.lrs.lt/home/Konstitucija/Constitution.htm

Article 148
The provision of Article 1 of the Constitution “the State ofLithuania shall be an independent democratic republic” may only be altered byreferendum if not less than 3/4 of the citizens of Lithuania with the electoralright vote in favour thereof.

The provisions of the First Chapter “The State of Lithuania” andthe Fourteenth Chapter “Alteration of the Constitution” may be altered only byreferendum.

Amendmentsof the Constitution concerning other chapters of the Constitution must beconsidered and voted at the Seimas twice. There must be a break of not lessthan three months between the votes. A draft law on the alteration of theConstitution shall be deemed adopted by the Seimas if, during each of thevotes, not less than 2/3 of all the Members of the Seimas vote in favourthereof...

REFERENDUMLAW

(Adopted 2002; lastamended 2012)

http://www3.lrs.lt/pls/inter3/dokpaieska.showdoc_e?p_id=437744

Article 4. Mandatory Referendums

1. Referendums shall be mandatory with regard to thefollowing issues:

1) on the amendment to the provision of Article 1 ofthe Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania that, “the State of Lithuaniashall be an independent and democratic republic;”

2) on the amendment to the provisions of Chapter I ofthe Constitution of the Republic of Lithuania, “the State of Lithuania;”

3) on the amendment to the provisions of Chapter XIVof the Republic of Lithuania Constitution, “Amending the Constitution;”

4) on the amendment to the Constitutional Act, datedJune 8, 1992, “On Non-Alignment of the Republic of Lithuania to Post-SovietEastern Alliances;”

5) regarding participation by the Republic ofLithuania in international organizations, should this participation be linkedwith the partial transfer of the scope of competence of Government bodies to the institutions ofinternational organizations or the jurisdiction thereof.

2. Mandatory referendums may be held also with regardto other laws or provisions thereof, which 300 thousand citizens having theright to vote or the Seimas shall submit a proposal for to be decided by meansof a referendum.

CONSTITUTIONALACT OF THE REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA ON THE NON-ALIGNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OFLITHUANIA TO POST-SOVIET EASTERN UNIONS

(Adopted 1992)

http://www3.lrs.lt/home/Konstitucija/Constitution.htm

The Supreme Council of the Republic ofLithuania, invoking the 16 February 1918and 11 March 1990 Acts on the Restoration of the Independent State of Lithuaniaand basing itself on the will of the entire Nation as expressed on 9 February1991, and seeing the attempts topreserve in any form the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics with allits conquered territories and the intentions to draw Lithuania into thedefence, economic, financial and other “spaces” of the post-Soviet Easternblock, resolves:

1. To develop mutually advantageous relationswith each state which was formerly a component of the USSR, but to never joinin any form any new political, military, economic or other unions orcommonwealths of states formed on the basis of the former USSR.

2. The activities seeking to draw the State ofLithuania into the unions or commonwealths of states specified in the FirstArticle of this Constitutional Act shall be regarded as hostile to theindependence of Lithuania and liability for them shall be established by laws.

3.There may be no military bases or army units of Russia, the Commonwealth ofIndependent States or its constituent states on the territory of the Republicof Lithuania.

See also:

Algis Krupavičius, “Citizens’ Initiatives in Lithuania: Initiative Institutions and Their Political Impact in a New Democracy,” in Maija Set?l? and Theo Schiller, eds.: Citizens’ Initiatives in Europe: Procedures and Consequences of Agenda-Setting by Citizens. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2012.

”Both obligatory and consultative referendums can be called under identical rules, that is, on all major issues in the life of the state and society as a result of a citizens’ or parliamentary initiative. Only an obligatory referendum, but not a consultative one, can be held on constitutional issues and on the transfer of state jurisdiction to supranational or international bodies.” (p. 136)

Only certainsections of the Constitution may be altered by referendum.