The wording of the Guidelines on the Holding of Referendums is slightly less restrictive than the Code of Good Practice in Electoral Matters as regards the requirement that all rules of referendum law – apart from rules on technical matters and detail – should have the rank of a statute, using the term “should” rather than “must”. Where a referendum is requested by the executive, it is conceivable that the latter could set the rules for it. Such a situation is not entirely satisfactory, however, and, as a rule, referendum law should have at least the rank of a statute and not be adopted ad hoc for a specific referendum (point II.3.a).