What is a plebiscite or referendum?
Q: What is a plebiscite or referendum?
A: A plebiscite or referendum is a type of voting, or of proposing laws. It is used to determine the opinion of people on certain issues and can be legally binding or advisory depending on the country's history and constitution.
Q: How are plebiscites/referendums used in Switzerland?
A: In Switzerland, referendums are usually mandatory because the people are seen as the source of the government's mandate (power) to govern. This means that any vote taken must be followed by action from the government.
Q: How have referendums been used in the United Kingdom?
A: In the United Kingdom, referendums have only been advisory, meaning that their results do not necessarily need to be followed by action from the government. The referendum on Scottish independence was an exception and was legally binding for Scotland residents only.
Q: What happened with Greece's proposed plebiscite in 2011?
A: In 2011, Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou proposed a €130 billion bailout package from the European Union which would require a plebiscite vote from Greek citizens. However, this vote was cancelled before it could take place.
Q: What happened when France and The Netherlands had a referendum on the European Constitution in 2005?
A: When France and The Netherlands held simultaneous referendums on 24 April 2004 regarding a comprehensive settlement plan of UN Secretary-General they both voted 'no' to this proposal so no constitution was made as a result.
Q: What example does Cyprus provide for using separate simultaneous referendums?
A: Cyprus provides an example of separate simultaneous referendums being held for different countries at once; in 2004 Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and Republic of Cyprus both held votes regarding UN Secretary-General’s comprehensive settlement plan where 65% approved it in Turkish Cypriot referendum while 75% rejected it in Greek Cypriot referendum
