Home > 5.1.2 Referendum requested by an authority > Referendums in Europe - An Analysis of the Legal Rules in European States
 
 
 
Download file    
 
 
Paragraph 46
 

In several states, there is also a limited form of popular initiative, with a number of voters being able to propose that another body call a referendum. This is accordingly an extraordinary referendum organised at the request of part of the electorate. In Poland, 500,000 citizens can ask the Sejm to organise a referendum; in Portugal, such a request can be submitted to Parliament by 75,000 voters; in Hungary, 100,000 signatures are necessary and in “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” 10,000 (it should be pointed out that the referendum must take place if there are 200,000 or 150,000 signatures respectively). On the other hand, 50,000 voters can ask the President of Albania to organise a referendum, while 300,000 can do so in Azerbaijan.