Diritto Pubblico Comparato ed Europeo

Sommario

1. Introduzione: tradizioni, modelli e concezione del referendum nei Paesi considerati. – 2. I referendum in materia costituzionale. – 3. I referendum legislativi ed altre tipologie di referendum nazionali. – 4. I referendum “arbitrali”. – 5. I referendum in materia di poteri sovrani: l’adesione all’Unione europea. – 6. Considerazioni conclusive.

Abstract

The paper consists of an overall survey of the provisions concerning referendums in the ten countries that entered the EU on May 1st, 2004. With the exception of the Republic of Cyprus, where there are no specific provisions, all these Member States have detailed constitutional andlegislative rules on referendums and other instruments of direct democracy. Moreover, most of them have held referendums since the collapse of the socialist regimes. One must also emphasise the fact that some of the former socialist states held referendums in order to adopt their new, democratic constitutions. Special attention should also be given to the referendums that have been held to decide entry into international or supranational organizations. In 2003 nine out of the ten new member states asked voters to express their opinion on accession to the European Union.