Direct Democracy Database
Who decides on the final form of the ballot text?
| Theme | Referendum |
|---|
Breakdown by continent
| Continent | Mandatory referendum - Legislature | No data | Optional referendum - Legislature | Optional referendum - Independent electoral commission | Optional referendum - Registered electors | Optional referendum - President | Not specified by legislation | Mandatory referendum - President | Mandatory referendum - Government | Mandatory referendum - Independent electoral commission | Mandatory referendum - Registered electors | Optional referendum - Government | Other | Countries researched |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Africa | 1 (2.0%) |
5 (10.2%) |
1 (2.0%) |
3 (6.1%) |
0 (0.0%) |
6 (12.2%) |
26 (53.1%) |
2 (4.1%) |
0 (0.0%) |
6 (12.2%) |
0 (0.0%) |
0 (0.0%) |
6 (12.2%) |
49 |
| Americas | 1 (3.3%) |
3 (10.0%) |
7 (23.3%) |
5 (16.7%) |
0 (0.0%) |
2 (6.7%) |
7 (23.3%) |
1 (3.3%) |
3 (10.0%) |
6 (20.0%) |
0 (0.0%) |
3 (10.0%) |
3 (10.0%) |
30 |
| Asia | 0 (0.0%) |
8 (26.7%) |
2 (6.7%) |
3 (10.0%) |
0 (0.0%) |
5 (16.7%) |
11 (36.7%) |
1 (3.3%) |
0 (0.0%) |
3 (10.0%) |
0 (0.0%) |
0 (0.0%) |
3 (10.0%) |
30 |
| Europe | 6 (17.6%) |
1 (2.9%) |
11 (32.4%) |
5 (14.7%) |
2 (5.9%) |
4 (11.8%) |
1 (2.9%) |
1 (2.9%) |
7 (20.6%) |
5 (14.7%) |
0 (0.0%) |
11 (32.4%) |
9 (26.5%) |
34 |
| Oceania | 0 (0.0%) |
1 (10.0%) |
0 (0.0%) |
0 (0.0%) |
0 (0.0%) |
0 (0.0%) |
2 (20.0%) |
1 (10.0%) |
1 (10.0%) |
1 (10.0%) |
0 (0.0%) |
1 (10.0%) |
6 (60.0%) |
10 |
| Other | 0 (0%) |
0 (0%) |
0 (0%) |
0 (0%) |
0 (0%) |
0 (0%) |
0 (0%) |
0 (0%) |
0 (0%) |
0 (0%) |
0 (0%) |
0 (0%) |
0 (0%) |
0 |
| Total | 8 | 18 | 21 | 16 | 2 | 17 | 47 | 6 | 11 | 21 | 0 | 15 | 27 | 153 |
Country Answers
| Country | Year | Value (Text) | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | 2014 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Albania | 2022 | Optional referendum - Government Optional referendum - President Optional referendum - Registered electors |
|
| Algeria | 2013 | Mandatory referendum - President Optional referendum - President |
|
| Andorra | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - Government Mandatory referendum - Legislature Optional referendum - Government Optional referendum - Legislature |
|
| Angola | 2013 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Antigua and Barbuda | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - Government Optional referendum - Government |
|
| Argentina | 2014 | Optional referendum - President Optional referendum - Legislature |
|
| Armenia | 2022 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Australia | 2015 | Mandatory referendum - Independent electoral commission Mandatory referendum - Legislature | |
| Austria | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - Independent electoral commission Optional referendum - Independent electoral commission |
|
| Azerbaijan | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - Independent electoral commission Optional referendum - Independent electoral commission |
|
| Bahamas | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - Government | |
| Bahrain | 2013 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Belarus | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - President Optional referendum - President |
|
| Belize | 2013 | Mandatory referendum - Government Optional referendum - Government |
|
| Benin | 2014 | Constitutional Court | |
| Bermuda | 2014 | Optional referendum - Legislature | |
| Bhutan | 2013 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Bolivia | 2013 | Mandatory referendum - Independent electoral commission Optional referendum - Independent electoral commission |
|
| Botswana | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - Independent electoral commission | |
| Brazil | 2013 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Bulgaria | 2022 | Optional referendum - Legislature | |
| Burkina Faso | 2013 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Burundi | 2014 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Cabo Verde | 2014 | Optional referendum - President | |
| Cameroon | 2014 | Optional referendum - President | |
| Canada | 2013 | Optional referendum - Legislature | |
| Cayman Islands | 2014 | Optional referendum - Government Optional referendum - Legislature |
|
| Central African Republic | 2014 | Council of Ministers | |
| Chad | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - Independent electoral commission Optional referendum - Independent electoral commission |
|
| Chile | 2022 | Optional referendum - President Optional referendum - Constitutional Court |
|
| Colombia | 2017 | Optional referendum - Independent electoral commission | |
| Congo, Democratic Republic of | 2013 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Cook Islands | 2014 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Costa Rica | 2014 | Optional referendum - Legislature | |
| Croatia | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - Independent electoral commission Optional referendum - Independent electoral commission |
|
| Côte d'Ivoire | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - President Optional referendum - President |
|
| Denmark | 2018 | Mandatory referendum - Government Optional referendum - Government |
|
| Dominica | 2014 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Dominican Republic | 2013 | This issue has not been regulated yet by a special law. | |
| Ecuador | 2014 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Egypt | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - Independent electoral commission Optional referendum - Independent electoral commission |
|
| El Salvador | 2014 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Equatorial Guinea | 2013 | Optional referendum - President | |
| Estonia | 2013 | Mandatory referendum - Independent electoral commission Optional referendum - Independent electoral commission | |
| Eswatini | 2013 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Ethiopia | 2013 | Mandatory referendum - Independent electoral commission | |
| Fiji | 2014 | No data | |
| Finland | 2014 | Optional referendum - Government Optional referendum - Legislature |
|
| France | 2014 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Gabon | 2013 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Georgia | 2014 | Optional referendum - President | |
| Ghana | 2013 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Gibraltar | 2017 | Mandatory referendum - Defined by specific Act Optional referendum - Government |
|
| Greece | 2013 | Optional referendum - Government | |
| Grenada | 2013 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Guatemala | 2013 | Mandatory referendum - President Mandatory referendum - Legislature |
|
| Honduras | 2014 | Optional referendum - Legislature | |
| Hungary | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - Independent electoral commission Optional referendum - Independent electoral commission |
|
| Iceland | 2017 | Mandatory referendum - Government Optional referendum - Government |
|
| Iran, Islamic Republic of | 2014 | No data | |
| Iraq | 2014 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Ireland | 2022 | Mandatory referendum - Legislature Optional referendum - Legislature |
|
| Italy | 2014 | No data | |
| Jamaica | 2014 | No data | |
| Japan | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - Independent electoral commission See comments |
|
| Kazakhstan | 2013 | Optional referendum - President | |
| Kenya | 2022 | Mandatory referendum - Legislature Optional referendum - Legislature |
|
| Kiribati | 2013 | Mandatory referendum - Independent electoral commission | |
| Korea, Republic of | 2014 | Final text is specified by law | |
| Kyrgyzstan | 2013 | Optional referendum - President | |
| Latvia | 2013 | Mandatory referendum - Independent electoral commission Optional referendum - Independent electoral commission | |
| Lesotho | 2014 | No data | |
| Liberia | 2014 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Libya | 2014 | No data | |
| Lithuania | 2013 | Mandatory referendum - Independent electoral commission Optional referendum - Independent electoral commission |
|
| Madagascar | 2013 | Mandatory referendum - Independent electoral commission Optional referendum - Independent electoral commission | |
| Malawi | 2013 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Maldives | 2013 | No data | |
| Mali | 2014 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Mauritania | 2014 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Mauritius | 2013 | No data | |
| Mexico | 2017 | Supreme Court | |
| Moldova, Republic of | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - Independent electoral commission Optional referendum - Independent electoral commission |
|
| Mongolia | 2013 | Optional referendum - Legislature | |
| Montenegro | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - Legislature Optional referendum - Legislature |
|
| Morocco | 2014 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Mozambique | 2013 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Myanmar | 2014 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Namibia | 2013 | No data | |
| Nauru | 2014 | Template for ballot text is provided by law | |
| Nepal | 2013 | No data | |
| Netherlands | 2018 | Not applicable | |
| New Zealand | 2014 | Optional referendum - Government Clerk of the House of Representatives |
|
| Nicaragua | 2013 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Niger | 2013 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Nigeria | 2014 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Niue | 2013 | The format of the question is defined by law | |
| North Macedonia, Republic of | 2017 | Mandatory referendum - Legislature Optional referendum - Legislature |
|
| Pakistan | 2013 | No data | |
| Palau | 2014 | Optional referendum - Constitutional Convention; Mandatory referendum - No data |
|
| Panama | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - Independent electoral commission | |
| Paraguay | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - Independent electoral commission Optional referendum - Legislature |
|
| Peru | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - Independent electoral commission Optional referendum - Independent electoral commission |
|
| Philippines | 2014 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Poland | 2014 | Optional referendum - President Optional referendum - Legislature |
|
| Portugal | 2018 | Constitutional Court | |
| Qatar | 2014 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Republic of The Congo (Brazzaville) | 2013 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Romania | 2014 | Optional referendum - President Mandatory referendum - questions are specified by law |
|
| Russian Federation | 2013 | Optional referendum - Independent electoral commission | |
| Rwanda | 2013 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | 2013 | No data | |
| Saint Lucia | 2013 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 2013 | No data | |
| Samoa | 2013 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Senegal | 2014 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Serbia | 2021 | The committee of the National Assembly competent for constitutional issues (after consultations with electoral commission) | |
| Seychelles | 2013 | Mandatory referendum - Independent electoral commission | |
| Sierra Leone | 2013 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Singapore | 2014 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Slovakia | 2013 | Mandatory referendum - Government Mandatory referendum - Legislature Optional referendum - Government Optional referendum - Legislature Optional referendum - Registered electors All referendums - Ministry of the Interior, Central Commission for Referendum |
|
| Slovenia | 2013 | Optional referendum - Legislature | |
| Somalia | 2013 | Not specified by legislation | |
| South Africa | 2013 | Optional referendum - President | |
| South Sudan | 2014 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Spain | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - Government Optional referendum - Government |
|
| Sri Lanka | 2013 | Mandatory referendum - President Optional referendum - President |
|
| Sudan | 2013 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Sweden | 2013 | Optional referendum - Legislature | |
| Switzerland | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - Government Optional referendum - Government |
|
| Syrian Arab Republic | 2014 | No data | |
| São Tomé and Príncipe | 2013 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Taiwan | 2018 | Optional referendum - Independent electoral commission | |
| Tajikistan | 2013 | Mandatory referendum - Independent electoral commission Optional referendum - Independent electoral commission |
|
| Tanzania, United Republic of | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - Independent electoral commission Optional referendum - Independent electoral commission Mandatory referendum - Attorney General of the United Republic and the Attorney General of Zanzibar |
|
| Thailand | 2017 | Not specified by legislation | |
| The Gambia | 2014 | No data | |
| Timor-Leste | 2014 | No data | |
| Togo | 2014 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Tunisia | 2014 | The ballot text is defined by the law | |
| Turkey | 2013 | No data | |
| Turkmenistan | 2014 | No data | |
| Uganda | 2014 | Form provided in the referendum act | |
| Ukraine | 2013 | Mandatory referendum - Legislature Optional referendum - Legislature |
|
| United Kingdom | 2015 | Mandatory referendum - Government Optional referendum - Government |
|
| Uruguay | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - Independent electoral commission Optional referendum - Independent electoral commission |
|
| Uzbekistan | 2013 | Optional referendum - President Optional referendum - Legislature Mandatory referendum - not specified |
|
| Vanuatu | 2013 | Mandatory referendum - Government Mandatory referendum - President |
|
| Venezuela | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - Independent electoral commission Optional referendum - Independent electoral commission |
|
| Yemen | 2013 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Zambia | 2013 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Zimbabwe | 2014 | Not specified by legislation |
Total number of countries in selected sample: 153
