Legislative plebiscite: a manifestation of democracy in the realm of legislation

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 assistant professor of law, university of birjand

2 assistant professor of Bojnord University

3 assistant professor of law, Bojnord University

10.22081/psq.2019.66729

Abstract

A legislative plebiscite or referendum, based on which people act directly as legislative authority, has been envisaged in the Constitution of Iran, but the details of its enforcement have remained equivocal so far due to the lack of application as an exceptional legislative procedure. The purpose of this study was to study the applied effects of this process, the quality of its use, and the methods assuring this category by a descriptive-analytical method. The results indicated that plebiscite is viewed as an adjunct to it rather than an alternative to representative democracy. It is thus necessary to make the criteria of legislative plebiscite transparent and fair because there is a risk of abusing this type of direct public participation tool. The procedure for holding a referendum should be one way or another illustrated in the Constitution or at least in ordinary laws. In the phase of enforcement, some issues such as the type of plebiscite, the content of plebiscite question or subject, time of holding it, and the deadline for its approval and results should be clearly delineated. Applying for a plebiscite should not be legally undertaken by an official or institution but with the participation of two or more authorities. A plebiscite cannot violate the ideals and objectives of that system. Overseeing a plebiscite should be undertaken by an impartial and independent body from a legislative and executive power. 

Keywords

Article Title [العربیة]

الاستفتاء الشعبی التشریعی؛ تجلّی الدیمقراطیة فی صعید التشریع

Abstract [العربیة]

الاستفتاء الشعبی أو الاستفتاء العامّ التشریعی حیث یکون الشعب فیه مرجعاً للتقنین بشکل مباشر أمر مأخوذ فی الحسبان فی الدستور الإیرانی، إلا أنّه نظراً إلى عدم استخدامه باعتباره أُسلوباً استثنائیاً فی التشریع لحدّ الآن فإنّ تفاصیل استخدامه لیست واضحة وشفافة تماماً. یهدف البحث الحاضر إلى دراسة آثار تطبیق هذه العملیة وطریقة الاستخدام وأسالیب الضمان فی هذه المقولة بالأُسلوب الوصفی والتحلیلی. تکشف النتائج عن أنّ الاستفتاء الشعبی لا یُعدّ بدیلاً من الدیمقراطیة البرلمانیة، بل هی مکمّلة لها. وبما أنّ هذا الضرب من المشارکة المباشرة للشعب عرضة للاستغلال فمن الضروری الانتباه لمعاییر الاستفتاء الشعبی التشریعی الشفاف والعادل. ومن اللازم أن تکون إجراءات القیام بالاستفتاء الشعبی محدّدة بوضوح فی الدستور أو على أقلّ تقدیر فی التشریعات العادیة. وفی مرحلة التنفیذ تُحدّد قضایا من قبیل نوعیة الاستفتاء الشعبی، ومضمون السؤال أو موضوع الاستفتاء الشعبی، وموعد الإجراء، والنصاب القانونی للتصدیق ونتائجه. ویلزم أن لا یکون طلب الاستفتاء الشعبی قانوناً بید جهة أو مؤسّسة خاصّة بل یکون بمشارکة سلطتین أو أکثر. ولا یجوز للاستفتاء الشعبی أن یکون خارقاً لمُثُل وغایات النظام. ومن اللازم أن یکون المُشرِف على الاستفتاء الشعبی موسّسة محایدة ومستقلّة عن السلطتین التشریعیة والتنفیذیة.

Keywords [العربیة]

  • الاستفتاء الشعبی التشریعی
  • الدستور
  • الدیمقراطیة
  • إیران
  • الانتخابات

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