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Who can initiate an optional referendum at the national level?

Finland

Finland

Answer
Legislative majority
Source

THE FINNISH CONSTITUTION

(Adopted1999; last amended 2011)

http://www.finlex.fi/fi/laki/kaannokset/1999/en19990731.pdf

 

Section 53 – Referendum and citizens’ initiative (new title, 1112/2011,entry into force 1.3.2012)

 

The decision to organise a consultative referendum ismade by an Act, whichshall contain provisions on the time of the referendum and on the choices to bepresented to the voters.

 

Provisions concerning the conduct of areferendum are laid down by an Act. (...)


PARLIAMENT’S RULES OF PROCEDURE

(Adopted 1999; last amended 2012)

http://web.eduskunta.fi/dman/Document.phx?documentId=lp13613093258049&cmd=download

 

Section 61 —Mode ofvoting

Avote shall be taken by the voting apparatus, by standing up or by open ballot.

 

TheSpeaker shall announce the mode of voting. There shall be no debate on the modeof voting.

Avote shall be taken by the voting apparatus, regardless of whether a vote has alreadybeen taken by standing up, if the Speaker deems this necessary, if the  vote by standing up has in the opinion of theSpeaker not yielded a clear result  or ifa Representative so requests.

 

Avote shall be taken by open ballot if the voting apparatus is out of order, if thevote by using the voting apparatus has in the opinion of the Speaker not yieldeda clear result or if thereis a tie. (…)

 

Section 62 —Vote byopen ballot

A vote by open ballot shall be taken inaccordance with the roll call, by using ballots of various colours. A ballot shall bear thepre-printed name of the Representative and the word 'Yes','No' or 'Abstention”. A ballot not conforming to this provisionshall be void. The Representatives shall put their ballots into the ballot-boxin the order that their names are called. The ballots shall be read out aloudand counted.
Comment

National referenda can be initiated by an Act of Parliament. As implied bySections 61 and 62 of Parliament’s Rules of Procedure, Acts can only be passedby a majority.

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