Promoting the revised Code of Good Practice on Referendums

Motion for a resolution | Doc. 15691 | 25 January 2023

Signatories:

Mr George PAPANDREOU, Greece, SOC ; Ms Boriana ÅBERG, Sweden, EPP/CD ; Ms Petra BAYR, Austria, SOC ; Mr Iulian BULAI, Romania, ALDE ; Mr Ahmet Ünal ÇEVİKÖZ, Türkiye, SOC ; Mr Titus CORLĂŢEAN, Romania, SOC ; Mr Adnan DIBRANI, Sweden, SOC ; Mr Mattias JONSSON, Sweden, SOC ; Mr Bjarni JÓNSSON, Iceland, UEL ; Mr Kimmo KILJUNEN, Finland, SOC ; Mr Kristoffer LINDBERG, Sweden, SOC ; Mr Max LUCKS, Germany, SOC ; Ms María Valentina MARTÍNEZ FERRO, Spain, EPP/CD ; Ms Mariia MEZENTSEVA, Ukraine, EPP/CD ; Mr Simon MOUTQUIN, Belgium, SOC ; Mr Sorin-Titus MUNCACIU, Romania, EC/DA ; Mr Zsolt NÉMETH, Hungary, EC/DA ; Ms Fiona O'LOUGHLIN, Ireland, ALDE ; Ms Ria OOMEN-RUIJTEN, Netherlands, EPP/CD ; Ms Selin SAYEK BÖKE, Türkiye, SOC ; Ms Ingjerd SCHOU, Norway, EPP/CD ; Ms Lesia VASYLENKO, Ukraine, ALDE

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only those who have signed it.

In June 2022 the Venice Commission adopted the Revised Code of Good Practice on Referendums.

This text follows up Assembly Resolution 2251 (2019) on Updating guidelines to ensure fair referendums in Council of Europe member States in which the Assembly asked the Venice Commission to update its Code of Good Practice on Referendums in the light, in particular, of the increasing use of referendums, the rise of digital media and the increasing convergence of the print media.

The Revised Code of Good Practice responds to these recommendations and takes into account recurring concerns with respect to a number of referendums which have been held by Council of Europe member States in recent years.

The Assembly should welcome the adoption of the Revised Code of Practice and share it with parliaments of Council of Europe member States. The Assembly should also seek to promote the Revised Code beyond its national delegations, reaching out to other parliaments, in Europe and beyond, which share its commitment to strengthening democracy, the good functioning of democratic processes and the respect of the rule of law.