Legal provisions for optional referendums at national level

Constitution 1814 (revised in 2004)

https://?www.?constituteproject.?org/?constitution/?Norway_?2004.?pdf

Jos Verhulst & Arjen Nijeboer

Direct Democracy: Facts and Arguments about the Introduction of Initiative and Referendum. Democracy International, Brussels. 2007

European Commission for Democracy Through Law, Referendums in Europe- an Analysis of the Legal Rules in European States(Venice Commission 2005)

http://?www.?venice.?coe.?int/?docs/?2005/?CDL-?AD(2005)034-?e.?pdf

The Norwegian constitution dates from 1814, and does not provide for any form of direct democracy. The parliament (the ‘Storting’) can, however, hold a non-binding plebiscite. Since 1905, six national plebiscites have been held in this way. There is also an extensive tradition of plebiscites at municipal level, where about 500 plebiscites have taken place since 1972. In 2003, the parliament introduced the citizens’ initiative referendum at the municipal level. This enables 300 citizens to put a specific subject to a popular vote.