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A legislative referral (or legislative referendum) is a referendum in which a legislature puts proposed legislation up for popular vote. This may either be voluntarily or, as is the case in many countries for a constitutional amendment, as a mandatory part of the procedure for passing a law. These referrals, depending on the location, can either amend a constitution or enact a change in statute. It is a form of direct democracy. In some places it is known as an authorities referendum, authorities plebiscite, government initiated referendum[1], or top-down referendum[2][3][4] It may originate from the legislative branch, executive branch, or a combination of the two.[1]
An instrument of direct democracy, it is in contrast to citizens (or "bottom-up") initiative that is initiated from the public.[2][5] With initiated statutes and amendments, voters both initiate and decide on the change of law. In a legislative referral, they only approve or reject laws which their legislature votes to place before them.
- ^ a b Breuer, Anita (2009). "The Use of Government-Initiated referendums in Latin America. Toward a Theory of Referendum Causes" (PDF). Revista de Ciencia Política. 29: 26.
- ^ a b Cheneval, Francis; el-Wakil, Alice (2018). "The Institutional Design of Referendums: Bottom-Up and Binding". Swiss Political Science Review. 24 (3): 294–304. doi:10.1111/spsr.12319. ISSN 1662-6370.
- ^ "Plebiscite - Navigator". www.direct-democracy-navigator.org. Retrieved 2021-07-17.
- ^ Kaufmann, B., Büchi, R., & Braun, N. (Eds.). (2007). Guidebook to direct democracy: In Switzerland and beyond (2008 ed.). pp. 193–4. Bern: Benteli Hallwag Druck AG.
- ^ "Typology - Navigator". www.direct-democracy-navigator.org. Retrieved 2021-07-17.