Who administers direct democracy mechanisms at the national level?

Legal Regime governing Referenda (Law no. 15-A/98 of 3 April 1998, last amended by Organic Law no. 3/2017 of 18 July 2017)

Article 252. The National Electoral Commission shall also exercise its competences in relation to acts regarding referenda.

Legislative Initiative by Citizens (Law no. 17/2003 of 4 June 2003, last amended by Law no. 52/2017 of 13 July 2017)

Article 6. Requisites

1 ‐ The right of citizens to initiate legislation is exercised by means of the submission to the Assembly of the Republic of Member’s bills subscribed by at least twenty thousand registered electors.

2 ‐ The Member’s bills referred to in the previous paragraph shall be submitted to the President of the Assembly of the Republic in writing, on paper or by electronic means, shall be drawn up in the form of articles and must contain: [...]

3 ‐ The Assembly of the Republic shall provide an electronic platform that makes it possible to submit legislative initiatives and to receive the items referred to in the previous paragraph.

4 ‐ For the purposes of attaining the number of subscribers provided for in paragraph (1), the documentation may be cumulatively delivered on paper and by means of an electronic platform that ensures fulfilment of the legal requirements.

5 ‐ The Assembly of the Republic may ask the competent departments and services of the Public Administration to use sampling to conduct an administrative verification of the authenticity of the identity details of the subscribers of legislative initiatives.

6 ‐ The Assembly of the Republic shall verify the validity of the electronic mail addresses that shall obligatorily be given by the subscribers who use an electronic platform.

Decreto-Lei n.º 54/2012 de 12 de março

Artigo 1.º: Natureza

A Direção -Geral de Administração Interna, abreviadamente designada por DGAI, é um serviço central da administração direta do Estado, dotado de autonomia administrativa.

Artigo 2.º: Missão e atribuições

1 — A DGAI tem por missão garantir o apoio técnico à formulação de políticas, ao planeamento estratégico e operacional, à política legislativa e às relações internacionais, bem como assegurar e coordenar tecnicamente a administração eleitoral.

2 — A DGAI desenvolve a sua missão em três áreas de atribuições: [...] c) Administração eleitoral.

5 — A DGAI prossegue as seguintes atribuições no âmbito da administração eleitoral:

a) Organizar e apoiar tecnicamente a execução dos referendos e dos atos eleitorais de âmbito nacional, regional, local e da União Europeia; […]

The National Electoral Commission (NEC) administers mandatory and optional referenda. General Directorate of Internal Administration (Direção-Geral de Administração Interna) plays a substantial role in the administration of elections and referenda. Agenda initiatives are submitted directly to the President of the Assembly. The verification of signatures is conducted by a 'competent departments and services of the Public Administration', but the law does not specify which departements or services.