National referendum and popular initiative

1. National referendum and popular initiative

2. Direct and indirect democracy Article 2 (2) of the Constitution „In the Republic of Hungary supreme power is vested in the people, who exercise their sovereign rights directly and through elected representatives.” DECISION 2/1993. (I. 22.) AB „In the constitutional public order of the Republic of Hungary the prime form of the sovereign rights is the representation. National referendum can decide about the issue incumbent in the competence of Parliament only within the frames of the Constitution and the constitutionally issued acts

3. What can be the subject of referendum? Article 28/B. (1) of the Constitution „The subject of national referenda (…) may fall under the jurisdiction of the Parliament.” DECISION 53/2001. (XI. 29.) AB the legislatorial competence of the Parliament guaranteed in the Constitution is complete and open in the direction of the Government and the Members of the Government

4. What can’t be the subject of referendum? Act III of 1998 on National Referendum and Popular Initiative Article 13 (1) The concrete question to be put to the referendum shall be composed in a way which shall facilitate the unambiguous answer of every citizen.

5. What can’t be the subject of referendum? DECISION 52/2001. (XI. 29.) AB • The question have to be unambiguous and have to bear an interpretation in one way only • May not be held on two, closely not connected subquestions • On the basis of the result the Parliament can decide, what kind of legislatorial obligation it burdens

6. What can’t be the subject of referendum? Article 28/C. (5) of the Constitution National referendum may not be held on the following subjects: a) on the state budget, national taxes and duties, customs tariffs, and on the central conditions for local taxes, DECISION 51/2001. (XI. 29.) AB

7. What can’t be the subject of referendum? Constitution Article 28/C. (5) „National referendum may not be held on the following subjects: b) obligations set forth in valid international treaties and on the contents of laws prescribing such obligations,”DECISION 58/2004. (XII. 14.) AB The Constitution establishes plebiscitary prohibition on the international treaties already ratified,promulgated and valid.

8. What can’t be the subject of referendum? Constitution Article 28/C. (5) „National referendum may not be held on the following subjects: c) the provisions of the Constitution on national referenda and popular initiatives,” DECISION 25/1999. (VII. 7.) AB There is no referendum initiated by the citizens in the matter about the amendment of the Constitution.

9. What can’t be the subject of referendum? Constitution Article 28/C. (5) „d) personnel and restructuring (reorganization, termination) matters falling under Parliamentary jurisdiction, e) dissolution of the Parliament, f) the Government's program, g) declaration of a state of war, a state of emergency or a state of national crisis, h) use of the Armed Forces abroad or within the country, i) dissolution of the representative body of local governments, j) amnesty.”

10. The types of the referendum Article 28/C. (1) of the Constitution „A national referendum may be held for reaching a decision or for the expression of an opinion. Carrying out a national referendum may be mandatory or may be the result of the consideration of a matter.” Article 26. (6) of the Constitution Confirmative: „The President of the Republic shall ratify the law subject to national referendum if such law is confirmed by the national referendum.”

11. The types of the referendum Act III of 1998 on National Referendum and Popular Initiative Article 8. (3) The mandatory referendum may be only matter-deciding At the facultative referendum the Parliament decides about the binding force The confirmative referendum is matter-deciding.

12. The initiative of the referendum Article 28/C. (2) and (4) of the Constitution „A national referendum shall be held if so initiated by at least 200,000 voting citizens.” „Based on its consideration, the Parliament may order a national referendum upon the initiative by the President of the Republic, the Government, by one-third of Members of the Parliament or by 100,000 voting citizens.”

13. The relation of the initiatives DECISION 52/1997. X. 19.) AB The rule of priority The referendum initiated by the citizens has priority over the others This priority is valid from the beginning of the procedure

14. The relation of the initiatives • The question have to be forwareded to the National Electoral Board for authentication - from this moment the priority of valid • Until the procedure ends, referendum can’t be initiated in an identical matter • The constitutional complaint against the authenticating decision of the National Electoral Board may be handed in to the Constitutional Court • As well as, against the decision of the Parliament, if the referendum is mandatory against the rejection, too

15. If the initiative successful The Parliament orders the referendum The President of the Republic sets the date of the referendum

16. The result of the referendum Article 28/C. (6) of the Constitution „A national ratification referendum shall be considered successful if more than half of the votes of the citizens voting, but at least more than one-quarter of all eligible voters have given the same answer in the referendum.” No threshold of validity

17. What can be the subject of the popular initiative? Article 28/D. of the Constitution The matter incumbent in the competence of Parliament

18. Who can initiate the popular initiative? Article 28/D. of the Constitution At least 50,000 voting citizens

19. What is the consequence of a successful popular initiative? Article 28/D. of the Constitution „Forcing the Parliament to place a subject under its jurisdiction on the agenda”

20. Thank you for your attention!