Mandatory referendums in Switzerland
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Switzerland employs mandatory referendums as a tool of direct democracy.[1]
This type of referendum is utilized after an item has been passed by parliament and is then put to a vote. In contrast, an optional referendum is only held after a certain number of citizens or cantons request it.
At the federal level, Article 140, paragraph 1[2] of the Federal Constitution mandates compulsory voting on revisions to the Federal Constitution, the collective security organization membership (e.g., NATO), supranational communities (e.g., the EU), federal laws that lack a constitutional basis and are valid for more than a year (an emergency procedure). Article 140 paragraph 2[3] of the Federal Constitution mandates that only the people vote on certain matters, primarily as a component of the procedure for the comprehensive revision of the Federal Constitution.[4]
At the cantonal level, each federated state's constitution regulates which matters necessitate a mandatory referendum. Consequently, there exist various scenarios. Nonetheless, all cantons must subject the revision of their constitution to a mandatory referendum (article 51[5]). Some states also subject all state laws to a compulsory referendum, as well as any expense that exceeds a certain amount (referred to as a "financial" referendum).
Referendum results
[edit]Mandatory referendums[6][7] | 1848-1950 | 1951-1980 | 1981-2020 (mar.) | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|
Accepted | 43 | 58 | 73 | 174 |
Rejected | 20 | 17 | 29 | 66 |
Total | 63 | 75 | 102 | 240 |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ ChF, Chancellerie fédérale. "La Confédération en bref". www.bk.admin.ch (in French). Retrieved 2020-03-25.
- ^ "Article 140 Constitution fédérale de la Confédération suisse". Confédération suisse.
- ^ "Article 140 Constitution fédérale Suisse". Constitution Suisse.
- ^ "Lexique du Parlement". L'Assemblée fédérale: le Parlement suisse.
- ^ "Article 51 Constitution fédérale Suisse". Constitution Suisse.
- ^ "Liste des votations en suisse". Chancellerie fédérale Suisse (in Français, Allemand, Italien, Romanche, and Anglais). Retrieved 25.03.2020.
- ^ Office fédéral de la Statistique. "Votations". www.bfs.admin.ch (in French). Retrieved 2020-03-25.
External links
[edit]- "Référendum populaire" archive in the Historical Dictionary of Switzerland online.