Direct Democracy Database
Legal provisions for optional referendums at national level
| Theme | General |
|---|---|
| Description | Optional referendum is a vote of the electorate which is not required by the constitution or by law. |
Breakdown by continent
| Continent | No | Yes | No, but ad hoc referendums are possible | Other | No data | Countries researched |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Africa | 13 (26.0%) |
36 (72.0%) |
1 (2.0%) |
0 (0.0%) |
0 (0.0%) |
50 |
| Americas | 14 (35.9%) |
24 (61.5%) |
1 (2.6%) |
0 (0.0%) |
0 (0.0%) |
39 |
| Asia | 19 (40.4%) |
26 (55.3%) |
2 (4.3%) |
0 (0.0%) |
0 (0.0%) |
47 |
| Europe | 4 (9.3%) |
36 (83.7%) |
3 (7.0%) |
0 (0.0%) |
0 (0.0%) |
43 |
| Oceania | 10 (66.7%) |
4 (26.7%) |
1 (6.7%) |
0 (0.0%) |
0 (0.0%) |
15 |
| Other | 0 (0%) |
0 (0%) |
0 (0%) |
0 (0%) |
0 (0%) |
0 |
| Total | 60 | 126 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 194 |
Country Answers
| Country | Year | Value (Text) | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | 2014 | Yes | |
| Albania | 2022 | Yes | |
| Algeria | 2014 | Yes | |
| Andorra | 2014 | Yes | |
| Angola | 2014 | Yes | |
| Anguilla | 2014 | No | |
| Antigua and Barbuda | 2014 | Yes | |
| Argentina | 2014 | Yes | |
| Armenia | 2022 | Yes | |
| Australia | 2015 | No, but ad hoc referendums are possible | |
| Austria | 2014 | Yes | |
| Azerbaijan | 2014 | Yes | |
| Bahamas | 2013 | No | |
| Bahrain | 2014 | Yes | |
| Bangladesh | 2014 | No | |
| Barbados | 2014 | No, but ad hoc referendums are possible | |
| Belarus | 2014 | Yes | |
| Belgium | 2014 | No | |
| Belize | 2014 | Yes | |
| Benin | 2014 | Yes | |
| Bermuda | 2014 | Yes | |
| Bhutan | 2014 | Yes | |
| Bolivia | 2014 | Yes | |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 2022 | No | |
| Botswana | 2014 | No | |
| Brazil | 2013 | Yes | |
| Brunei Darussalam | 2014 | No | |
| Bulgaria | 2022 | Yes | |
| Burkina Faso | 2014 | Yes | |
| Burundi | 2014 | Yes | |
| Cabo Verde | 2014 | Yes | |
| Cambodia | 2014 | No, but ad hoc referendums are possible | |
| Cameroon | 2014 | Yes | |
| Canada | 2013 | Yes | |
| Cayman Islands | 2014 | Yes | |
| Central African Republic | 2014 | Yes | |
| Chad | 2014 | Yes | |
| Chile | 2022 | Yes | |
| China | 2014 | No | |
| Colombia | 2017 | Yes | |
| Congo, Democratic Republic of | 2013 | No | |
| Cook Islands | 2014 | Yes | |
| Costa Rica | 2014 | Yes | |
| Croatia | 2013 | Yes | |
| Cuba | 2017 | Yes | |
| Cyprus | 2014 | No, but ad hoc referendums are possible | |
| Cyprus (North) | 2017 | Yes | |
| Czechia | 2014 | No, but ad hoc referendums are possible | |
| Côte d'Ivoire | 2014 | Yes | |
| Denmark | 2018 | Yes | |
| Dominica | 2014 | No | |
| Dominican Republic | 2013 | Yes | |
| Ecuador | 2014 | Yes | |
| Egypt | 2014 | Yes | |
| El Salvador | 2014 | No | |
| Equatorial Guinea | 2013 | Yes | |
| Eritrea | 2014 | No, but ad hoc referendums are possible | |
| Estonia | 2014 | Yes | |
| Eswatini | 2013 | No | |
| Ethiopia | 2014 | No | |
| Fiji | 2014 | No | |
| Finland | 2014 | Yes | |
| France | 2013 | Yes | |
| Gabon | 2013 | Yes | |
| Georgia | 2014 | Yes | |
| Germany | 2022 | No | |
| Ghana | 2013 | No | |
| Gibraltar | 2017 | Yes | |
| Greece | 2013 | Yes | |
| Greenland | 2017 | Yes | |
| Grenada | 2013 | No | |
| Guatemala | 2013 | No | |
| Guyana | 2014 | No | |
| Haiti | 2014 | No | |
| Honduras | 2014 | Yes | |
| Hungary | 2014 | Yes | |
| India | 2014 | No | |
| Indonesia | 2014 | No | |
| Iran, Islamic Republic of | 2013 | Yes | |
| Iraq | 2013 | No | |
| Ireland | 2022 | Yes | |
| Israel | 2014 | No | |
| Italy | 2014 | Yes | |
| Jamaica | 2014 | Yes | |
| Japan | 2014 | No | |
| Jordan | 2014 | No | |
| Kazakhstan | 2013 | Yes | |
| Kenya | 2022 | Yes | |
| Kiribati | 2013 | No | |
| Korea, Republic of | 2013 | Yes | |
| Kuwait | 2014 | No | |
| Kyrgyzstan | 2013 | Yes | |
| Lao People's Dem. Republic | 2017 | No | |
| Latvia | 2013 | Yes | |
| Lebanon | 2014 | No | |
| Lesotho | 2014 | Yes | |
| Liberia | 2014 | No | |
| Libya | 2014 | No | |
| Liechtenstein | 2017 | Yes | |
| Lithuania | 2013 | Yes | |
| Luxembourg | 2017 | Yes | |
| Madagascar | 2013 | Yes | |
| Malawi | 2013 | No | |
| Malaysia | 2014 | No | |
| Maldives | 2013 | Yes | |
| Mali | 2013 | Yes | |
| Malta | 2017 | Yes | |
| Marshall Islands | 2017 | Yes | |
| Mauritania | 2013 | Yes | |
| Mauritius | 2013 | No | |
| Mexico | 2017 | Yes | |
| Micronesia, Federated States of | 2017 | No | |
| Moldova, Republic of | 2014 | Yes | |
| Mongolia | 2013 | Yes | |
| Montenegro | 2014 | Yes | |
| Montserrat | 2014 | No | |
| Morocco | 2014 | Yes | |
| Mozambique | 2013 | Yes | |
| Myanmar | 2013 | No | |
| Namibia | 2013 | Yes | |
| Nauru | 2014 | No | |
| Nepal | 2013 | Yes | |
| Netherlands | 2018 | No | |
| New Zealand | 2014 | Yes | |
| Nicaragua | 2013 | Yes | |
| Niger | 2013 | Yes | |
| Nigeria | 2014 | No | |
| Niue | 2013 | No | |
| North Macedonia, Republic of | 2017 | Yes | |
| Norway | 2014 | No, but ad hoc referendums are possible | |
| Oman | 2014 | No | |
| Pakistan | 2013 | Yes | |
| Palau | 2014 | Yes | |
| Panama | 2014 | No | |
| Papua New Guinea | 2014 | No | |
| Paraguay | 2014 | Yes | |
| Peru | 2014 | Yes | |
| Philippines | 2014 | Yes | |
| Poland | 2014 | Yes | |
| Portugal | 2018 | Yes | |
| Qatar | 2014 | Yes | |
| Republic of The Congo (Brazzaville) | 2013 | Yes | |
| Romania | 2014 | Yes | |
| Russian Federation | 2017 | Yes | |
| Rwanda | 2013 | Yes | |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | 2013 | No | |
| Saint Lucia | 2013 | No | |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 2013 | No | |
| Samoa | 2013 | No | |
| Saudi Arabia | 2014 | No | |
| Senegal | 2014 | Yes | |
| Serbia | 2021 | Yes | |
| Seychelles | 2013 | No | |
| Sierra Leone | 2013 | No | |
| Singapore | 2014 | No | |
| Slovakia | 2013 | Yes | |
| Slovenia | 2014 | Yes | |
| Somalia | 2013 | No | |
| South Africa | 2013 | Yes | |
| South Sudan | 2013 | Yes | |
| Spain | 2013 | Yes | |
| Sri Lanka | 2013 | Yes | |
| State of Palestine | 2014 | No, but ad hoc referendums are possible | |
| Sudan | 2013 | Yes | |
| Suriname | 2017 | Yes | |
| Sweden | 2013 | Yes | |
| Switzerland | 2014 | Yes | |
| Syrian Arab Republic | 2014 | Yes | |
| São Tomé and Príncipe | 2013 | Yes | |
| Taiwan | 2018 | Yes | |
| Tajikistan | 2013 | Yes | |
| Tanzania, United Republic of | 2014 | Yes | |
| Thailand | 2017 | Yes | |
| The Gambia | 2014 | Yes | |
| Timor-Leste | 2014 | Yes | |
| Togo | 2014 | Yes | |
| Tonga | 2014 | No | |
| Tunisia | 2014 | Yes | |
| Turkey | 2013 | Yes | |
| Turkmenistan | 2013 | Yes | |
| Tuvalu | 2014 | No | |
| Uganda | 2014 | Yes | |
| Ukraine | 2013 | Yes | |
| United Arab Emirates | 2014 | No | |
| United Kingdom | 2015 | Yes | |
| United States | 2014 | No | |
| Uruguay | 2014 | Yes | |
| Uzbekistan | 2013 | Yes | |
| Vanuatu | 2013 | No | |
| Venezuela | 2014 | Yes | |
| Viet Nam | 2014 | Yes | |
| Yemen | 2013 | No | |
| Zambia | 2013 | Yes | |
| Zimbabwe | 2014 | Yes |
Total number of countries in selected sample: 194
