ABSTRACT

Like the election, the referendum is a procedure calling on citizens to cast a vote. But while the election is about choosing those who govern, the referendum is to vote directly on an issue or policy. In other words, the referendum is a policy-making device. In so far as it does not allow popular collective elaboration of the proposal put to the vote, but only a choice between alternatives, it is generally considered as a device of semi-direct democracy. The referendum also differs from a recall, by which citizens can initiate a vote to remove from office an elected representative – although the recall vote is sometimes called a “referendum”. However, like the referendum, the recall is generally regarded as a device of semi-direct democracy since the threat that its initiative poses tends to encourage elected officials to conform more closely to the will of their constituents; actually the recall is claimed by advocates of mandate theory of representation.