Referendum in the Netherlands on the Law on Intelligence and Security Services

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Ballot ( stembiljet ) for the referendum

The referendum in the Netherlands on the Law on Intelligence and Security Services was a national consultative referendum on the entry into force of the Law on Intelligence and Security Services 2017 and took place on March 21, 2018 in the Netherlands . The legal basis of the referendum was the consultative referendum law adopted on July 1, 2015. This made it possible to apply for a referendum on an already adopted law if 300,000 signatures from eligible voters were submitted within six weeks. Five science students from the University of Amsterdam worked to collect the necessary signatures. They were later supported in this by organizations such as Amnesty International and Bits of Freedom . On November 1, 2017, the electoral council announced that it had received a total of 384,126 valid signatures. This achieved the required quorum of 300,000 votes.

Voting notification ( stempas ) for the referendum

The referendum took place parallel to the local elections. It had a corrective character and was not binding, but the entry into force of the law should require renewed approval by the Second and First Chambers of the States General if the referendum was negative . The result of the referendum was only valid if the voter turnout was at least 30%. The question put to the voters, to be answered with “For”, “Against” or with an abstention, was:

“Did u voor of tegen de Wet op de inlichtingen- en veiligheidsdiensten 2017?”

"Are you for or against the 2017 News and Security Act?"

- Question of the referendum of March 21, 2018

A majority of those who voted (49.44%) voted against the law. The turnout was 51.54%.

prehistory

News and Security Services Act 2017

The subject of the referendum is the Law on Intelligence and Security Services 2017 ( Dutch Wet op de inlichtingen- en veiligheidsdiensten 2017 (Wiv 2017) ), also pejoratively referred to as Sleepwet or Sleepnetwet (German " Schleppnetzgesetz "), which provides the legal framework for the two Dutch Intelligence services , the General Intelligence and Security Service (AIVD) and the Military Intelligence and Security Service (MIVD), as well as regulating the control by the Control Committee for the Intelligence and Security Services (CTIVD). It is intended to replace the law of the same name from 2002 (Wiv 2002).

On February 14, 2017, the law was adopted by the Second Chamber . The VVD , the PvdA , the CDA , the PVV , the ChristenUnie , the SGP , 50PLUS , the Bontes / Van Klaveren group and the MPs Van Vliet , Houwers and Monasch voted for the law. The SP , D66 , GroenLinks , the Partij voor de Dieren and MP Klein voted against.

The First Chamber , the Senate, passed the law on July 11, 2017. In the First Chamber, the Onafhankelijke Senaatsfractie also approved . On July 26, 2017, the royal copy took place and the law was published on August 17, 2017 in the Staatsblad, the public gazette of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Request for a referendum

The request for a referendum was made on the legal basis of the law on consultative referendum ( Wet raadgevend referendum ) that came into force on July 1, 2015 . The last referendum enforced by this law was the referendum on the EU Association Agreement with Ukraine , which took place on April 6, 2016 (61% voted against). The Referendum Act distinguishes between two phases for the application for a referendum: the introductory application and the definitive application. For the introductory application, 10,000 valid signatures are required within four weeks of the publication of the resolution declaring the possibility of holding a referendum on the respective law. In order to submit a valid application, the forms provided by the electoral council must be used. The validity of an application also depends on the data entered, the voting rights and the date of receipt. The electoral council uses a random sample to determine the number of valid forms. If the preliminary application is approved by the electoral council, the definitive phase begins. In this phase, 300,000 valid applications must be submitted to the electoral council within six weeks. If the final motion is approved by the electoral council, the government must organize a consultative referendum within six months.

Request Duration End date hurdle Submitted Valid
Introductory proposal 4 weeks August 25, 2017 10,000 19,266 17.162
Definitive application 6 weeks 16th October 2017 300,000 417.354 384.126

The decision that the Law on Intelligence and Security Services 2017 is eligible for a referendum was published in the Staatscourant on July 28, 2017. The deadline for submitting the preliminary phase for the referendum was therefore on August 25, 2017. In order to simplify the collection process, the five Amsterdam students created a website on which the application form could be filled out digitally and signed. On September 1, the electoral council announced that it had received a total of 19,266 applications. Based on the random sample, the electoral council declared 17,162 applications to be valid. The introductory proposal could thus be accepted.

For the definitive phase, the deadline for submissions was October 16, 2017. According to the students, on October 9, 2017, the required number of 300,000 signatures was submitted through the website. The electoral council announced on November 1, 2017 that a total of 417,354 signatures had been received, of which 384,126 had been declared valid on the basis of the sample. The government must therefore organize a referendum on the Intelligence Service Act.

grants

The five-member independent body responsible for grants Referendum Commission announced on 29 November 2017 to provide for the election campaign two million euros available - the same amount, which is also the last referendum on the EU Association Agreement with Ukraine available was asked. Both supporters and opponents of the law, regardless of whether (political) parties, organizations, companies or private individuals, could apply for grants for their election campaign. This also applied to neutral campaigns.

A total of 211 applications were submitted to the referendum commission. 137 applications, i.e. the majority, were submitted for neutral campaigns. The neutral applicants were ultimately allocated 781,480 euros in grants. 23 grant applications were received for “yes” campaigns. The proponents applied for a total of 445,395 euros in grants, while 600,000 euros were available for them. Ultimately, the proponents were allocated 213,630 euros. For campaigning activities against the law, 51 applications were made. These could not all be approved, as more than the 600,000 euros available to them were requested. A total of 566,740 euros were paid out to the opponents. Examples of activities funded by the grants include creating posters , printing and distributing leaflets , creating web videos on social media, and organizing discussions.

Survey

date For Against Undecided scope Institute
March 20, 2018 53% 34% 13% 1,164 Ipsos
14.3.2018 51% 30% 19% 4,413 I&O Research
11.3.2018 45% 42% 13% 1,026 Peil.nl
February 27, 2018 48% 32% 20% Ipsos
December 3, 2017 40% 60% Peil.nl
11/01/2017 52% 32% 17% 1,747 I&O Research
October 31, 2017 40% 49% 11% 23,000 De Stemming
October 12, 2017 50% 30% 20% 1,609 I&O Research
11.9.2017 60% 24% 17% I&O Research

Result

According to the official result, 49.44% of the voters voted against and 46.53% for the law. 4.03% of the voters submitted a blank ballot. The turnout was 51.54%. The vote was then formally valid.

Overall result

Results
be right number percent
voter turnout
Voters 6,734,225 51.54%
Eligible voters 13,064,932 100.0%
validity
Valid votes 6.710.412 99.65%
Invalid votes 23,813 0.35%
Voting decision
Therefore 3,122,628 46.53%
On the other hand 3,317,496 49.44%
Blank ballot papers 270.288 4.03%

Results by provinces

province Voters Participation For Against blank ballot papers
be right % be right % be right %
Drenthe 387.611 54.16 99,787 47.72 100,850 48.23 8,472 4.05
Flevoland 297.206 50.28 67,377 45.24 77,168 51.81 4,390 2.95
Fryslân 504.855 42.80 97,594 45.30 111.049 51.55 6,779 3.15
Gelderland 1,602,016 54.19 415.207 48.01 411,924 47.63 37,737 4.36
Groningen 458.131 37.22 61,200 35.97 105.009 61.72 3,916 2.30
Limburg 873.201 50.23 206.901 47.33 209.891 48.02 20,310 4.65
North Brabant 1,947,973 48.43 469.115 49.90 430.932 45.84 40.032 4.26
North Holland 2,075,436 52.87 453.840 41.51 598,606 54.75 40,927 3.74
Overijssel 882.344 56.92 247,309 49.41 230.930 46.14 22,311 4.46
Utrecht 969.421 57.65 253.208 45.46 278.935 50.08 24,863 4.46
Zeeland 291,514 56.70 88,950 54.02 69,174 42.01 6,536 3.97
South Holland 2,760,065 51.22 661.822 47.00 692.443 49.17 54.009 3.84
Caribbean Netherlands 15,159 6.06 318 34.98 585 64.36 6th 0.66
Netherlands 6,734,225 51.54 3,122,628 46.53 3,317,496 49.44 270.288 4.03
Source: Kiesraad

Cartographic representation

  • Majorities in the communities: For against
    
    

  • Turnout by municipality: over 30% under 30%
    
    

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ De Sleepwet - Contact. (No longer available online.) In: www.sleepwet.nl. Archived from the original on September 17, 2017 ; Retrieved January 25, 2018 (Dutch).
  2. ↑ a b De Sleepwet - Uitleg. (No longer available online.) In: www.sleepwet.nl. Archived from the original on January 26, 2018 ; Retrieved January 25, 2018 (Dutch).
  3. ↑ a b c Referendum over Wiv gaat door. Kiesraad.nl , November 1, 2017, accessed January 25, 2018 (Dutch).
  4. ↑ a b Referendum aftapwet op de dag van raadsverkiezingen. Nederlandse Omroep Stichting , November 14, 2017, accessed January 25, 2018 (Dutch).
  5. ↑ a b c Uitslag referendum over Wiv: meerderheid tegen. Kiesraad , March 29, 2018, accessed March 29, 2018 (Dutch).
  6. ↑ Overview of stemmingen in the Tweede Kamer. (PDF) In: First Chamber of the States General . February 14, 2017, accessed November 4, 2017 (Dutch).
  7. ↑ Stemming Wet op de Inlichtingen-en veiligheidsdiensten 20 .. In: First Chamber of the States-General . July 11, 2017, accessed November 4, 2017 (Dutch).
  8. ↑ Wet raadgevend referendum in werking. Kiesraad.nl , June 30, 2015, accessed on January 25, 2018 (Dutch).
  9. ↑ a b Inleidend verzoek referendum over Wiv toegelaten. Kiesraad.nl , September 1, 2017, accessed January 25, 2018 (Dutch).
  10. ↑ Twee miljoen aan subsidies voor referendum aftapwet. NOS , November 29, 2017, accessed January 25, 2018 (Dutch).
  11. ↑ 211 subsidieaanvägen voor campagne referendum aftapwet. NOS , January 4, 2018, accessed January 25, 2018 (Dutch).
  12. ↑ Voorstanders 'aftapwet' laten campagnegeld voor referendum liggen. NOS , February 8, 2018, accessed February 11, 2018 (Dutch).
  13. ↑ Referendum: voorstanders lopen uit. EenVandaag, March 20, 2018, accessed March 29, 2018 (Dutch).
  14. ↑ repeat: Specifieke Onderdelen Wiv Nog Unknown. (PDF) I&O Research, March 14, 2018, accessed on March 14, 2018 (Dutch).
  15. ↑ Peilingen: 'voor'-stem referendum Inlichtingenwet op voorsprong. NOS.nl , March 15, 2018, accessed on March 19, 2018 (Dutch).
  16. ↑ 'Sleepwet' referendum: Voorstanders op voorsprong. EenVandaag, February 27, 2018, accessed March 29, 2018 (Dutch).
  17. ↑ De Stemming van 3 december 2017. (PDF) Peil.nl, 3 December 2017, accessed on 25 January 2018 (Dutch).
  18. ^ Report: I&O Research Peiling: Referendum 'Sleepwet'. (PDF) I&O Research, November 1, 2017, accessed January 25, 2018 (Dutch).
  19. ↑ Onderzoek: Verdeeldheid over 'sleepwet'. EenVandaag, October 31, 2017, accessed January 25, 2018 (Dutch).
  20. ↑ a b Report: Referendum Over Sleepwet. (PDF) I&O Research, October 12, 2017, accessed January 25, 2018 (Dutch).