Article 14

 

Article 14. Initiative to Hold Referendum
1. In the Russian Federation, the initiative to hold a referendum is vested in those citizens of the Russian Federation who are entitled to participate in a referendum.
2. The initiative to hold a referendum may be vested in other subjects by a federal law.
3. In order to initiate a referendum and collect signatures of citizens of the Russian Federation in support thereof, a referendum initiative group may be formed. Any citizen or a group of citizens of the Russian Federation who are entitled to participate in a referendum shall have the right to form such initiative group. The iInitiative to hold a referendum may also be exercised by an electoral association or another public association the charter of which provides for participation atparticipation in elections and/or referendums and which is registered in the procedure prescribed by the federal law at a level corresponding to the level of the referendum or a higher level no later thannot later than one year before the date of forming the referendum initiative group. The number of members of an initiative group for a referendum of the Russian Federation shall be set by a federal constitutional law; the number of members of the initiative group for a referendum of a subject of the Russian Federation or a local referendum shall be set in accordance with this Federal Law, law of the subject of the Russian Federation, the charter of the municipality.
4. For a referendum to be called, a referendum initiative group established in accordance with Clause 3 of this article shall submit signatures of referendum participants supporting the referendum initiative to the body prescribed by a federal constitutional law, a law of the subject of the Russian Federation, or by the charter of the municipality.