Direct Democracy Database
Requirements for a referendum to pass
| Theme | Referendum |
|---|---|
| Description | Electoral management body |
Breakdown by continent
| Continent | Not specified by legislation | Optional referendum - simple majority | Mandatory referendum - simple majority | Optional referendum - qualified majority | Mandatory referendum - qualified majority | Optional referendum - double majority | Mandatory referendum - double majority | Other | No data | Countries researched |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Africa | 18 (36.7%) |
13 (26.5%) |
15 (30.6%) |
1 (2.0%) |
8 (16.3%) |
0 (0.0%) |
0 (0.0%) |
0 (0.0%) |
1 (2.0%) |
49 |
| Americas | 3 (10.0%) |
16 (53.3%) |
13 (43.3%) |
1 (3.3%) |
3 (10.0%) |
0 (0.0%) |
1 (3.3%) |
0 (0.0%) |
0 (0.0%) |
30 |
| Asia | 4 (13.8%) |
15 (51.7%) |
14 (48.3%) |
0 (0.0%) |
1 (3.4%) |
1 (3.4%) |
0 (0.0%) |
0 (0.0%) |
4 (13.8%) |
29 |
| Europe | 3 (8.6%) |
27 (77.1%) |
21 (60.0%) |
0 (0.0%) |
2 (5.7%) |
0 (0.0%) |
1 (2.9%) |
4 (11.4%) |
1 (2.9%) |
35 |
| Oceania | 1 (10.0%) |
2 (20.0%) |
3 (30.0%) |
0 (0.0%) |
7 (70.0%) |
0 (0.0%) |
2 (20.0%) |
0 (0.0%) |
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 | 29 | 73 | 66 | 2 | 21 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 153 |
Country Answers
| Country | Year | Value (Text) | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | 2014 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Albania | 2022 | Optional referendum - simple majority | |
| Algeria | 2013 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Andorra | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority Optional referendum - simple majority |
|
| Angola | 2013 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Antigua and Barbuda | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - qualified majority | |
| Argentina | 2014 | Optional referendum - simple majority | |
| Armenia | 2022 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority Optional referendum - simple majority |
|
| Australia | 2015 | Mandatory referendum - double majority | |
| Austria | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority Optional referendum - simple majority |
|
| Azerbaijan | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority Optional referendum - simple majority |
|
| Bahamas | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority | |
| Bahrain | 2014 | Optional referendum - simple majority | |
| Belarus | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority Optional referendum - simple majority |
|
| Belize | 2013 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Benin | 2014 | Optional referendum - simple majority | |
| Bermuda | 2014 | Optional referendum - simple majority | |
| Bhutan | 2014 | Optional referendum - simple majority | |
| Bolivia | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority Optional referendum - simple majority |
|
| Botswana | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority | |
| Brazil | 2013 | Optional referendum - simple majority | |
| Bulgaria | 2022 | Optional referendum - simple majority | |
| Burkina Faso | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority | |
| Burundi | 2014 | Optional referendum - simple majority | |
| Cabo Verde | 2013 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Cameroon | 2014 | Optional referendum - simple majority | |
| Canada | 2013 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Cayman Islands | 2014 | Optional referendum - simple majority | |
| Central African Republic | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority Optional referendum - simple majority |
|
| Chad | 2014 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Chile | 2022 | Optional referendum - simple majority | |
| Colombia | 2017 | Optional referendum - simple majority | |
| Congo, Democratic Republic of | 2013 | No data | |
| Cook Islands | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - qualified majority Optional referendum - simple majority |
|
| Costa Rica | 2014 | Optional referendum - simple majority | |
| Croatia | 2013 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority Optional referendum - simple majority |
|
| Côte d'Ivoire | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - qualified majority | |
| Denmark | 2018 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority Optional referendum - simple majority |
|
| Dominica | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority | |
| Dominican Republic | 2013 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority | |
| Ecuador | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority Optional referendum - simple majority |
|
| Egypt | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority | |
| El Salvador | 2014 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Equatorial Guinea | 2013 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Estonia | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority Optional referendum - simple majority |
|
| Eswatini | 2013 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority | |
| Ethiopia | 2013 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority | |
| Fiji | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - qualified majority | |
| Finland | 2013 | Not specified by legislation | |
| France | 2013 | No data | |
| Gabon | 2013 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Georgia | 2014 | Optional referendum - simple majority | |
| Ghana | 2013 | Mandatory referendum - qualified majority | |
| Gibraltar | 2017 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority Optional referendum - Government order specifies percentage of votes required for the result to be treated as passed |
|
| Greece | 2013 | Optional referendum - simple majority | |
| Grenada | 2013 | Mandatory referendum - qualified majority | |
| Guatemala | 2013 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority | |
| Honduras | 2014 | Optional referendum - simple majority | |
| Hungary | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority Optional referendum - simple majority |
|
| Iceland | 2017 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority Optional referendum - simple majority |
|
| Iran, Islamic Republic of | 2013 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority | |
| Iraq | 2013 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority | |
| Ireland | 2022 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority Optional referendum - simple majority |
|
| Italy | 2014 | Optional referendum - simple majority | |
| Jamaica | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority Optional referendum - qualified majority |
|
| Japan | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority | |
| Kazakhstan | 2013 | Optional referendum - simple majority Optional referendum - double majority |
|
| Kenya | 2022 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority Optional referendum - simple majority |
|
| Kiribati | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - qualified majority | |
| Korea, Republic of | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority | |
| Kyrgyzstan | 2013 | Optional referendum - simple majority | |
| Latvia | 2013 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority Optional referendum - simple majority |
|
| Lesotho | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority | |
| Liberia | 2014 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Libya | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - qualified majority | |
| Lithuania | 2013 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority Mandatory referendum - qualified majority Optional referendum - simple majority |
|
| Luxembourg | 2017 | Optional referendum - simple majority | |
| Madagascar | 2014 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Malawi | 2013 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority | |
| Maldives | 2013 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority Optional referendum - simple majority |
|
| Mali | 2014 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Mauritania | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority Mandatory referendum - qualified majority |
|
| Mauritius | 2013 | Mandatory referendum - qualified majority | |
| Mexico | 2017 | Optional referendum - simple majority | |
| Moldova, Republic of | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority Optional referendum - simple majority |
|
| Mongolia | 2013 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Montenegro | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - qualified majority Optional referendum - simple majority |
|
| Morocco | 2014 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Mozambique | 2013 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Myanmar | 2013 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Namibia | 2013 | Optional referendum - qualified majority | |
| Nauru | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - qualified majority | |
| Nepal | 2013 | No data | |
| Netherlands | 2018 | Not applicable | |
| New Zealand | 2014 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Nicaragua | 2013 | Optional referendum - simple majority | |
| Niger | 2013 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority Optional referendum - simple majority |
|
| Nigeria | 2014 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Niue | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority Mandatory referendum - qualified majority |
|
| North Macedonia, Republic of | 2017 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority Optional referendum - simple majority |
|
| Pakistan | 2013 | No data | |
| Palau | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority Mandatory referendum - qualified majority Mandatory referendum - double majority Optional referendum - simple majority |
|
| Panama | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority | |
| Paraguay | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority Optional referendum - simple majority |
|
| Peru | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority Optional referendum - simple majority |
|
| Philippines | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority Optional referendum - simple majority |
|
| Poland | 2014 | Optional referendum - simple majority | |
| Portugal | 2018 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority Optional referendum - simple majority |
|
| Qatar | 2014 | Optional referendum - simple majority | |
| Republic of The Congo (Brazzaville) | 2013 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority Optional referendum - simple majority |
|
| Romania | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority Optional referendum - simple majority |
|
| Russian Federation | 2013 | Optional referendum - simple majority | |
| Rwanda | 2013 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | 2013 | Mandatory referendum - double majority | |
| Saint Lucia | 2013 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority | |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 2013 | Mandatory referendum - qualified majority | |
| Samoa | 2013 | Mandatory referendum - qualified majority | |
| Senegal | 2014 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Serbia | 2021 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority Optional referendum - simple majority |
|
| Seychelles | 2013 | Mandatory referendum - qualified majority | |
| Sierra Leone | 2013 | Mandatory referendum - qualified majority | |
| Singapore | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - qualified majority | |
| Slovakia | 2013 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority Optional referendum - simple majority |
|
| Slovenia | 2014 | Optional referendum - simple majority | |
| Somalia | 2013 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority | |
| South Africa | 2013 | Not specified by legislation | |
| South Sudan | 2013 | Optional referendum - simple majority | |
| Spain | 2013 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Sudan | 2013 | Optional referendum - simple majority | |
| Sweden | 2013 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Switzerland | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority Mandatory referendum - double majority Optional referendum - simple majority |
|
| Syrian Arab Republic | 2014 | Not specified by legislation | |
| São Tomé and Príncipe | 2013 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Taiwan | 2018 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority Optional referendum - simple majority |
|
| Tajikistan | 2013 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority Optional referendum - simple majority |
|
| Tanzania, United Republic of | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority Optional referendum - simple majority |
|
| Thailand | 2017 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority Optional referendum - simple majority |
|
| The Gambia | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - qualified majority | |
| Timor-Leste | 2014 | No data | |
| Togo | 2014 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Tunisia | 2014 | Optional referendum - simple majority | |
| Turkey | 2013 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority Optional referendum - simple majority |
|
| Turkmenistan | 2014 | No data | |
| Uganda | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority Optional referendum - simple majority |
|
| Ukraine | 2013 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority Optional referendum - simple majority |
|
| United Kingdom | 2015 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority Optional referendum - not specified |
|
| Uruguay | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority Optional referendum - simple majority |
|
| Uzbekistan | 2013 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority Optional referendum - simple majority |
|
| Vanuatu | 2013 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority | |
| Venezuela | 2014 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority Optional referendum - simple majority |
|
| Yemen | 2013 | Mandatory referendum - simple majority | |
| Zambia | 2013 | Not specified by legislation | |
| Zimbabwe | 2014 | Optional referendum - simple majority |
Total number of countries in selected sample: 153
