Are referendum results binding?
Romania
- Mandatory referendum - always
- Optional referendum - never
LAW ON ORGANIZATION AND CONDUCT OF THEREFERENDUM
(Adopted2000; last amended 2013)
http://?www.?roaep.?ro/?legislatie/?articole-?legislatie/?579/?
Chapter II: National Referendum
Section 1: Referendum on Constitutional Revision
Article 6(2): Organizarea ?i desf??urarea referendumului cu privire la revizuireaConstitu?iei, precum ?i rezultatulacestuia sunt obligatorii.
Section 2: Referendumon Impeaching the President of Romania
Article 8. Referendumul pentrudemiterea Pre?edintelui Rom?niei este obligatoriu ?i se stabile?te prinhot?r?re a Parlamentului, ?n condi?iile prev?zute la art. 95 din Constitu?ie.
Article 10. Demiterea Pre?edintelui Rom?niei este aprobat? dac?, ?n urmadesf??ur?rii referendumului, propunerea a ?ntrunit majoritatea voturilorvalabil exprimate.
?In November 2009, in thefirst round of the presidential elections narrowly won then by Basescu, a parallel referendum was heldwith regard to reducing the number of the Romanian lawmakers. Most of the Romanianswere in favor of the two proposals ? 300 lawmakers and one single chamber Parliament? and the referendum was validated.
Basescu argues asmaller Parliament is more effective since parties do not afford to forwardcandidates who are not politically responsible. But its results were never applied to Basescu?sfrustration...?
(http://www.balkaneu.com/constitution-draft-troubles-political-waters-romania/)
?According to the Romanian Constitution and to the Lawnr.3/2000, there are national and local/county referenda. Referenda can beeither mandatory orfacultative. National referenda are binding and they are organized forspecific purposes- the revision of the Constitution and the RomanianPresident's dismissal. As for the facultative referenda, they are organized for matters ofnational interest, established by the President of Romania.?
- Gheorghe Iancu, Ph.D., Professor, Faculty of Law,University of Bucharest
http://www.bec2009p.ro/Documente%20PDF/Legislatie/decret%20presedinte%201507%202009.pdf
The Law on Organization and Conduct of theReferendum is not clear on whether optional referenda initiated by thepresident are binding. However, a recent article that discusses the 2009referendum on Parliamentary reform suggests that optional referenda areconsultative. This is the referendum that was issued by Presidential Decree1507/2009
