Direct Democracy Database
Who can initiate an optional referendum at the national level?
| Theme | Referendum |
|---|---|
| Description | Those who are entitled to vote but not registered |
Breakdown by continent
| Continent | President | Government | Not applicable | Registered electors | Legislative majority | Legislative minority | Not specified by legislation | Other | No data | Countries researched |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Africa | 31 (62.0%) |
1 (2.0%) |
12 (24.0%) |
3 (6.0%) |
14 (28.0%) |
2 (4.0%) |
0 (0.0%) |
5 (10.0%) |
1 (2.0%) |
50 |
| Americas | 10 (32.3%) |
4 (12.9%) |
9 (29.0%) |
11 (35.5%) |
11 (35.5%) |
4 (12.9%) |
0 (0.0%) |
2 (6.5%) |
0 (0.0%) |
31 |
| Asia | 16 (51.6%) |
5 (16.1%) |
4 (12.9%) |
9 (29.0%) |
17 (54.8%) |
3 (9.7%) |
0 (0.0%) |
6 (19.4%) |
0 (0.0%) |
31 |
| Europe | 14 (40.0%) |
15 (42.9%) |
1 (2.9%) |
19 (54.3%) |
23 (65.7%) |
10 (28.6%) |
0 (0.0%) |
9 (25.7%) |
0 (0.0%) |
35 |
| Oceania | 0 (0.0%) |
2 (20.0%) |
7 (70.0%) |
2 (20.0%) |
2 (20.0%) |
0 (0.0%) |
0 (0.0%) |
1 (10.0%) |
0 (0.0%) |
10 |
| Other | 0 (0%) |
0 (0%) |
0 (0%) |
0 (0%) |
0 (0%) |
0 (0%) |
0 (0%) |
0 (0%) |
0 (0%) |
0 |
| Total | 71 | 27 | 33 | 44 | 67 | 19 | 0 | 23 | 1 | 157 |
Country Answers
| Country | Year | Value (Text) | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | 2014 | President | |
| Albania | 2022 | Government Legislative majority Registered electors |
|
| Algeria | 2013 | President | |
| Andorra | 2014 | Government Legislative majority The Coprinces |
|
| Angola | 2014 | President Legislative minority Parliamentary Groups |
|
| Antigua and Barbuda | 2014 | Government | |
| Argentina | 2014 | President Legislative majority |
|
| Armenia | 2022 | Legislative majority Registered electors |
|
| Australia | 2015 | Not applicable | |
| Austria | 2014 | Legislative majority Legislative minority |
|
| Azerbaijan | 2014 | President Legislative majority Registered electors Supreme Court of the Azerbaijan Republic; the Prosecutor's Office of Azerbaijan Republic; and Ali Majlis of Nakhchyvan Autonomous Republic |
|
| Bahamas | 2014 | Not applicable | |
| Bahrain | 2014 | The King | |
| Belarus | 2014 | President Legislative majority Registered electors |
|
| Belize | 2014 | Legislative majority | |
| Benin | 2014 | President Legislative majority |
|
| Bermuda | 2013 | Legislative majority | |
| Bhutan | 2014 | Legislative majority King |
|
| Bolivia | 2013 | President Legislative majority Registered electors |
|
| Botswana | 2014 | Not applicable | |
| Brazil | 2013 | Congress | |
| Bulgaria | 2022 | Government President Legislative minority Registered electors |
|
| Burkina Faso | 2014 | President Legislative majority Registered electors |
|
| Burundi | 2014 | President | |
| Cabo Verde | 2014 | President Legislative majority |
|
| Cameroon | 2014 | President | |
| Canada | 2013 | Government | |
| Cayman Islands | 2014 | Legislative majority Registered electors |
|
| Central African Republic | 2014 | President | |
| Chad | 2014 | President | |
| Chile | 2022 | President | |
| Colombia | 2017 | President Legislative majority Registered electors |
|
| Congo, Democratic Republic of | 2013 | Not applicable | |
| Cook Islands | 2014 | Government Legislative majority |
|
| Costa Rica | 2014 | President Legislative majority Registered electors |
|
| Croatia | 2014 | President Legislative majority Registered electors |
|
| Côte d'Ivoire | 2014 | President | |
| Denmark | 2018 | Legislative majority Legislative minority |
|
| Dominica | 2014 | Not applicable | |
| Dominican Republic | 2013 | No specific legal provisions have been issued yet. | |
| Ecuador | 2014 | President Legislative majority Registered electors |
|
| Egypt | 2014 | President | |
| El Salvador | 2014 | Not applicable | |
| Equatorial Guinea | 2013 | President | |
| Estonia | 2014 | President Legislative majority Legislative minority Also factions, committees of parliament. |
|
| Eswatini | 2013 | Not applicable | |
| Ethiopia | 2014 | Not applicable | |
| Fiji | 2014 | Not applicable | |
| Finland | 2013 | Legislative majority | |
| France | 2013 | Government President Legislative majority |
|
| Gabon | 2013 | Government President Legislative majority |
|
| Georgia | 2014 | President Legislative majority Registered electors |
|
| Ghana | 2013 | Not applicable | |
| Gibraltar | 2017 | Government | |
| Greece | 2013 | Government Legislative majority |
|
| Grenada | 2013 | Not applicable | |
| Guatemala | 2013 | Not applicable | |
| Guinea | 2017 | President Legislative majority |
|
| Honduras | 2014 | Government Legislative minority Registered electors |
|
| Hungary | 2014 | Government President Legislative minority Registered electors |
|
| Iceland | 2017 | Legislative majority | |
| Iran, Islamic Republic of | 2013 | Legislative majority | |
| Iraq | 2013 | Not applicable | |
| Ireland | 2022 | President | |
| Italy | 2014 | President Legislative minority Registered electors five Regional Councils |
|
| Jamaica | 2014 | Legislative majority | |
| Japan | 2014 | Not applicable | |
| Kazakhstan | 2013 | Government President Legislative majority Registered electors |
|
| Kenya | 2022 | President Legislative majority |
|
| Kiribati | 2014 | Not applicable | |
| Korea, Republic of | 2013 | President | |
| Kyrgyzstan | 2013 | President Legislative majority Registered electors |
|
| Latvia | 2015 | Registered electors | |
| Lesotho | 2014 | King, on the advice of the Prime Minister | |
| Liberia | 2014 | Not applicable | |
| Libya | 2014 | Not applicable | |
| Lithuania | 2013 | Legislative minority Registered electors |
|
| Luxembourg | 2017 | Legislative minority Registered electors |
|
| Madagascar | 2013 | President | |
| Malawi | 2013 | Not applicable | |
| Maldives | 2013 | President Legislative majority |
|
| Mali | 2013 | President | |
| Mauritania | 2013 | President Legislative majority |
|
| Mauritius | 2013 | No data | |
| Mexico | 2017 | President Legislative minority Registered electors |
|
| Moldova, Republic of | 2014 | Government Legislative majority Registered electors |
|
| Mongolia | 2013 | Legislative majority | |
| Montenegro | 2014 | Government President Legislative majority Legislative minority Registered electors |
|
| Morocco | 2014 | King | |
| Mozambique | 2013 | Legislative majority Legislative minority |
|
| Myanmar | 2014 | Not applicable | |
| Namibia | 2013 | President Legislative majority |
|
| Nauru | 2014 | Not applicable | |
| Nepal | 2013 | Legislative majority | |
| Netherlands | 2018 | Not applicable | |
| New Zealand | 2014 | Government Registered electors |
|
| Nicaragua | 2014 | President Legislative minority Registered electors |
|
| Niger | 2013 | President Legislative majority |
|
| Nigeria | 2014 | Not applicable | |
| Niue | 2014 | Not applicable | |
| North Macedonia, Republic of | 2017 | Government Legislative majority Legislative minority Registered electors |
|
| Pakistan | 2013 | Prime Minister | |
| Palau | 2014 | Legislative majority Registered electors Constitutional Convention |
|
| Panama | 2014 | Not applicable | |
| Paraguay | 2014 | Government Legislative minority |
|
| Peru | 2014 | Registered electors | |
| Philippines | 2014 | Legislative majority Registered electors |
|
| Poland | 2014 | Government President Legislative majority Registered electors Senate |
|
| Portugal | 2018 | Government President Legislative majority Registered electors |
|
| Qatar | 2014 | Emir | |
| Republic of The Congo (Brazzaville) | 2013 | President Legislative majority |
|
| Romania | 2014 | President | |
| Russian Federation | 2013 | President Registered electors Constitutional Assembly (in the cases of amendments) |
|
| Rwanda | 2013 | President | |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | 2014 | Not applicable | |
| Saint Lucia | 2013 | Not applicable | |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 2013 | Not applicable | |
| Samoa | 2013 | Not applicable | |
| Senegal | 2014 | President | |
| Serbia | 2021 | Government Legislative majority Registered electors |
|
| Seychelles | 2013 | Not applicable | |
| Sierra Leone | 2013 | Not applicable | |
| Singapore | 2014 | President | |
| Slovakia | 2013 | Government Legislative majority Registered electors See comments |
|
| Slovenia | 2014 | Legislative majority Legislative minority Registered electors |
|
| Somalia | 2014 | Not applicable | |
| South Africa | 2013 | President | |
| South Sudan | 2013 | President Legislative majority |
|
| Spain | 2013 | Government Legislative majority |
|
| Sri Lanka | 2013 | Government President Supreme court |
|
| Sudan | 2013 | President | |
| Suriname | 2017 | Legislative majority | |
| Sweden | 2013 | Legislative majority | |
| Switzerland | 2014 | Registered electors Any eight Cantons (member states) |
|
| Syrian Arab Republic | 2014 | President | |
| São Tomé and Príncipe | 2013 | Government President | |
| Taiwan | 2018 | Government President Legislative majority Registered electors |
|
| Tajikistan | 2013 | President Legislative minority |
|
| Tanzania, United Republic of | 2014 | President | |
| Thailand | 2017 | Government | |
| The Gambia | 2014 | Legislative majority | |
| Timor-Leste | 2014 | Government President Legislative majority Legislative minority |
|
| Togo | 2014 | President Registered electors |
|
| Tunisia | 2014 | President | |
| Turkey | 2013 | President Legislative majority |
|
| Turkmenistan | 2013 | President Legislative majority Registered electors |
|
| Uganda | 2014 | Legislative majority Registered electors Members of district councils |
|
| Ukraine | 2013 | President Legislative majority Registered electors |
|
| United Kingdom | 2015 | Legislative majority | |
| Uruguay | 2014 | President Registered electors |
|
| Uzbekistan | 2013 | President Legislative majority Registered electors |
|
| Vanuatu | 2013 | Not applicable | |
| Venezuela | 2014 | President Legislative majority Registered electors |
|
| Viet Nam | 2014 | Legislative majority Legislative minority |
|
| Yemen | 2013 | Not applicable | |
| Zambia | 2013 | President | |
| Zimbabwe | 2014 | President |
Total number of countries in selected sample: 157
