Doc. 9874

10 July 2003

Guidelines for good practices in the holding of referenda

Motion for a resolution

presented by Mr Gross and others

In the past five years, the member states of the Council of Europe have experienced many "Referenda" which damaged democracy more than they strengthened it. These experiences have been a misuse of Referenda by the power and did not serve to ensure the legitimacy of polities and policies, which belong to the main purposes of direct democracy, which always includes a strong parliamentary base.

Therefore, the Parliamentary Assembly is called upon to establish, together with the support of the Venice Commission, guidelines for good practices in holding Referenda which avoid such misuses and do really serve the democratic process.

Signed ¹:

Gross, Switzerland, SOC

Burbienė, Lithuania, SOC

Fehr, Switzerland, LDR

Haupert, Luxembourg, EPP/CD

Janssen Van Raaij, Netherlands, EPP/CD

Jurgens, Netherlands, SOC

Kroupa, Czech Republic, EPP/CD

Maissen, Switzerland, EPP/CD

Muratović, Bosnia and Herzegovina, EPP/CD

Sysas, Lithuania, SOC

Wohlwend, Liechtenstein, EPP/CD

Zapfl-Helbling, Switzerland, EPP/CD

¹        SOC: Socialist Group

      EPP/CD: Group of the European People’s Party

      EDG: European Democratic Group

      LDR : Liberal, Democratic and Reformers’ Group

      UEL: Group of the Unified European Left

      NR: not registered in a group