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

Theme	Referendum

Breakdown by continent

Continent	None	Devolution	Civil service	Constitutional amendments	Adoption of international treaties	Conflict between constitutional organs	Taxes and public expenditure commitments	Transfer of authority to international bodies	National sovereignty, national self-determination	Other	No data	Countries researched
Africa	15 (30.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (60.0%)	2 (4.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (2.0%)	7 (14.0%)	12 (24.0%)	0 (0.0%)	50
Americas	12 (37.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (56.3%)	3 (9.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (6.3%)	1 (3.1%)	6 (18.8%)	0 (0.0%)	32
Asia	13 (43.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (50.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (3.3%)	7 (23.3%)	0 (0.0%)	30
Europe	11 (31.4%)	1 (2.9%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (48.6%)	5 (14.3%)	1 (2.9%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (14.3%)	3 (8.6%)	11 (31.4%)	0 (0.0%)	35
Oceania	2 (18.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (81.8%)	1 (9.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (9.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (9.1%)	1 (9.1%)	0 (0.0%)	11
Other	0 (0%)	0 (0%)	0 (0%)	0 (0%)	0 (0%)	0 (0%)	0 (0%)	0 (0%)	0 (0%)	0 (0%)	0 (0%)	0
Total	53	1	0	89	11	1	1	8	13	37	0	158

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Country	Year	Value (Text)	Details
Afghanistan	2014	None	View
Albania	2022	None	View
Algeria	2014	Constitutional amendments	View
Andorra	2014	Constitutional amendments	View
Angola	2014	None	View
Antigua and Barbuda	2014	Constitutional amendments Amendments to the provisions of the Supreme Court Order	View
Argentina	2014	None	View
Armenia	2022	Constitutional amendments Issues related to the accession to supranational international organizations Issues related to territorial changes	View
Australia	2015	Constitutional amendments	View
Austria	2014	Constitutional amendments	View
Azerbaijan	2014	Constitutional amendments Any change in state borders	View
Bahamas	2014	Constitutional amendments	View
Bahrain	2014	None	View
Belarus	2014	Constitutional amendments	View
Belize	2014	Constitutional amendments Any proposed settlement with Guatemala for resolving the Belize/Guatemala dispute	View
Benin	2014	Constitutional amendments	View
Bermuda	2013	None	View
Bhutan	2013	None	View
Bolivia	2014	Constitutional amendments Adoption of international treaties Transfer of authority to international bodies	View
Botswana	2014	Constitutional amendments	View
Brazil	2013	None	View
Bulgaria	2022	None	View
Burkina Faso	2014	Constitutional amendments National sovereignty, national self-determination	View
Burundi	2014	None	View
Cabo Verde	2013	None	View
Cameroon	2013	None	View
Canada	2013	None	View
Cayman Islands	2014	None	View
Central African Republic	2014	Constitutional amendments Transfer of authority to international bodies National sovereignty, national self-determination Change of national territories	View
Chad	2014	Constitutional amendments Change of the territory	View
Chile	2022	None	View
Colombia	2017	None	View
Congo, Democratic Republic of	2013	Constitutional amendments National sovereignty, national self-determination Transfer of capital	View
Cook Islands	2014	Constitutional amendments	View
Costa Rica	2014	None	View
Croatia	2013	Adoption of international treaties	View
Cuba	2017	Constitutional amendments	View
Côte d'Ivoire	2014	Constitutional amendments	View
Denmark	2018	Constitutional amendments Transfer of authority to international bodies Altering the voting age	View
Dominica	2014	Constitutional amendments	View
Dominican Republic	2013	Constitutional amendments	View
Ecuador	2014	The call to create a Constitutional Assembly to draft a new Constitution; Activities for the extraction of non-renewable natural resources	View
Egypt	2014	Constitutional amendments Adoption of international treaties National sovereignty, national self-determination Dissolution of the parliament; impeachment of the President	View
El Salvador	2014	Adoption of international treaties Transfer of authority to international bodies	View
Equatorial Guinea	2013	None	View
Estonia	2013	Constitutional amendments	View
Eswatini	2013	Constitutional amendments	View
Ethiopia	2013	National sovereignty, national self-determination Devolution	View
Fiji	2014	Constitutional amendments	View
Finland	2014	None	View
France	2013	Constitutional amendments Treaties pertaining to the accession of a state to the EU and to the European Communities	View
Gabon	2013	Changes to territory	View
Georgia	2014	None	View
Germany	2022	None	View
Ghana	2013	Creation, alteration of boundaries, and merger of regions	View
Gibraltar	2017	Adoption of international treaties	View
Greece	2013	None	View
Grenada	2013	Constitutional amendments	View
Guatemala	2013	Constitutional amendments Political decisions of special significance, issues relating to relationship with Belize	View
Guinea	2017	None	View
Honduras	2014	None	View
Hungary	2014	Any issue except those excluded	View
Iceland	2017	Constitutional amendments Bills passed by legislature	View
Iran, Islamic Republic of	2013	Constitutional amendments	View
Iraq	2013	Constitutional amendments	View
Ireland	2022	Constitutional amendments	View
Italy	2014	None	View
Jamaica	2014	Constitutional amendments National sovereignty, national self-determination See also comments	View
Kazakhstan	2013	None	View
Kenya	2022	Constitutional amendments	View
Kiribati	2013	Constitutional amendments See comments	View
Korea, Republic of	2013	Constitutional amendments	View
Kyrgyzstan	2013	None	View
Latvia	2013	Constitutional amendments Adoption of international treaties Transfer of authority to international bodies Dissolution of the Parliament	View
Lesotho	2014	Constitutional amendments	View
Liberia	2014	Constitutional amendments	View
Libya	2014	Constitutional amendments	View
Lithuania	2014	Constitutional amendments Transfer of authority to international bodies National sovereignty, national self-determination	View
Luxembourg	2017	None	View
Madagascar	2013	Adoption of international treaties	View
Malawi	2013	Constitutional amendments	View
Maldives	2013	Constitutional amendments	View
Mali	2013	Constitutional amendments	View
Mauritania	2013	Constitutional amendments National sovereignty, national self-determination Territorial issues	View
Mauritius	2013	Constitutional amendments	View
Mexico	2017	None	View
Moldova, Republic of	2014	Constitutional amendments	View
Mongolia	2013	None	View
Montenegro	2014	Constitutional amendments National sovereignty, national self-determination Changes in the form of a government and any changes of frontiers	View
Morocco	2014	Constitutional amendments	View
Mozambique	2013	None	View
Myanmar	2014	Constitutional amendments	View
Namibia	2013	None	View
Nauru	2014	Constitutional amendments	View
Nepal	2013	None	View
New Zealand	2014	None	View
Nicaragua	2013	None	View
Niger	2013	Constitutional amendments	View
Nigeria	2014	Creation of a new state; Creation of a new local government area	View
Niue	2013	Constitutional amendments	View
North Macedonia, Republic of	2017	Adoption of international treaties Transfer of authority to international bodies Changing the border of the Republic	View
Pakistan	2013	None	View
Palau	2014	Constitutional amendments Adoption of international treaties National sovereignty, national self-determination Taxes and public expenditure commitments	View
Panama	2014	Constitutional amendments Adoption of international treaties	View
Papua New Guinea	2014	None	View
Paraguay	2014	Constitutional amendments	View
Peru	2014	Constitutional amendments	View
Philippines	2014	Constitutional amendments Presence of foreign military bases, troops, or facilities	View
Poland	2014	None	View
Portugal	2018	Devolution	View
Qatar	2014	None	View
Republic of The Congo (Brazzaville)	2013	Constitutional amendments Changes to territory	View
Romania	2014	Constitutional amendments Removal of President	View
Russian Federation	2013	None	View
Rwanda	2013	Constitutional amendments National sovereignty, national self-determination	View
Saint Kitts and Nevis	2013	Constitutional amendments Secession	View
Saint Lucia	2013	Constitutional amendments	View
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	2013	Constitutional amendments	View
Samoa	2013	Constitutional amendments	View
Senegal	2014	None	View
Serbia	2021	Constitutional amendments	View
Seychelles	2013	Constitutional amendments	View
Sierra Leone	2013	Constitutional amendments	View
Singapore	2014	Constitutional amendments National sovereignty, national self-determination	View
Slovakia	2014	Entering into or withdrawing from a union with other states; Dismissal of President	View
Slovenia	2013	None	View
Somalia	2013	Constitutional amendments	View
South Africa	2013	None	View
South Sudan	2013	None	View
Spain	2013	Constitutional amendments	View
Sri Lanka	2013	Constitutional amendments	View
Sudan	2013	None	View
Suriname	2017	None	View
Sweden	2013	None	View
Switzerland	2014	Constitutional amendments Transfer of authority to international bodies National sovereignty, national self-determination Conflict between constitutional organs Emergency federal acts	View
Syrian Arab Republic	2014	None	View
São Tomé and Príncipe	2013	None	View
Taiwan	2018	Constitutional amendments Alteration of the national territory	View
Tajikistan	2013	Constitutional amendments	View
Tanzania, United Republic of	2014	Constitutional amendments	View
Thailand	2017	Constitutional amendments	View
The Gambia	2014	Constitutional amendments National sovereignty, national self-determination No confidence vote against the President	View
Timor-Leste	2014	None	View
Togo	2014	Constitutional amendments	View
Tunisia	2014	None	View
Turkey	2013	Constitutional amendments	View
Turkmenistan	2013	Removal of President from the office	View
Uganda	2014	Constitutional amendments Only amendments to some provisions (See article 259.2)	View
Ukraine	2013	Constitutional amendments Change of territory	View
United Kingdom	2015	Adoption of international treaties	View
Uruguay	2014	Constitutional amendments	View
Uzbekistan	2013	In the case of seceding autonomous republic - Karakalpakstan	View
Vanuatu	2013	Constitutional amendments	View
Venezuela	2014	Constitutional amendments	View
Viet Nam	2014	None	View
Yemen	2013	Constitutional amendments Dissolution of parliament	View
Zambia	2013	Constitutional amendments	View
Zimbabwe	2014	None	View

Total number of countries in selected sample: 158

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

Breakdown by continent

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