Referendum (Austria)
The referendum is an instrument of direct democracy in Austria . With it, the National Council asks the people a question about the fundamental or overall Austrian importance for a non-binding vote. The voting question must be answered either with "Yes" or "No", or contain two alternative suggestions for selection. Elections and matters that a court or administrative authority has to decide on cannot be the subject of a referendum. In contrast to a referendum , the result is only a recommendation. The first nationwide referendum in the history of Austria was the referendum on conscription in 2013.
Procedure
A referendum is carried out if the National Council so decides with a majority of its members. The interview is scheduled by the Federal President . A deadline and a voting day are set. All objections and challenges to the referendum must be submitted by the deadline. The lists of those entitled to vote must be available to all responsible electoral authorities no later than 21 days after the deadline. The voting day must fall on a Sunday or other statutory rest day. Several referendums can also take place on the same day.
Anyone who has the right to vote to the National Council on the day of the vote is entitled to vote ( Section 5 of the Referendum Act). Before the 2010 Electoral Law Amendment Act came into force on March 1, 2010, Austrians abroad were not allowed to take part in referendums, although they had the right to vote in elections and referendums before this change. The outcome of the referendum is not binding.
As soon as the result of the vote is available, it will be announced by the federal electoral authority . Objections to the result of the vote can be submitted to the Constitutional Court up to four weeks after its announcement .
The municipalities bear the costs of the referendum, but the federal government has to reimburse them a lump sum of EUR 0.62 per citizen entitled to vote.
Legal anchoring
The referendum is regulated in Art. 49b of the Federal Constitutional Act and in the 1989 Referendum Act.
Nationwide referendums
On January 20, 2013, the first and so far only nationwide poll on the subject of conscription took place. The question concerned the retention of compulsory military service and community service or the introduction of a professional army and a paid social year, with 59.7% of the valid votes it was decided in favor of maintaining general conscription.
Referendums in the federal states
Also in the constitutions of the Austrian federal states , referendums can be provided for and have already been carried out, such as those on the state capital question in Lower Austria or various Viennese referendums since 1973.
See also
Individual evidence
- ↑ Federal Law Gazette I No. 13/2010 : Electoral Rights Amendment Act 2010
Web links
- Federal Ministry of the Interior: Referendum - Overview and Referendum Act
- Referendum in the political dictionary for young people