Legal provisions for optional referendums at national level
Denmark
Constitution(1953)
Section 42
(1) Where a Bill has been passed by the Folketing, one-third of the members of the Folketing may, within three weekdays from the final passing of the Bill, request of the President that the Bill be submitted to a referendum. Such request shall be made in writing and signed by the members making the request.
(6) Finance Bills, Supplementary Appropriation Bills, Provisional Appropriation Bills, Government Loan Bills, Civil Servants (Amendment) Bills, Salaries and Pensions Bills, Naturalization Bills, Expropriation Bills, Taxation (Direct and Indirect) Bills, as well as Bills introduced for the purpose of discharging existing treaty obligations shall not be submitted to decision by referendum.
This provision shall also apply to the Bills referred to in sections 9, 8, 10, and 11, and to such resolutions as areprovided for in section 19, if existing in the form of a law, unless it has been prescribed by a special Act that such resolutions shall be submitted to referendum. Amendments to the Constitutional Act shall be governed by the ruleslaid down in section 88.
Section 19
(1) The King shall act on behalf of the Realm in international affairs, but, except with the consent of the Folketing, the King shall not undertake any act whereby the territory of the Realm shall be increased or reduced, nor shall he enter into any obligation which for fulfilment requires the concurrence of the Folketing or which is otherwise of major importance; nor shall the King, except with the consent of the Folketing, terminate any international treaty entered into with the consent of the Folketing.
(2) Except for purposes of defence against an armed attack upon the Realm or Danish forces the King shall not use military force against any foreign state without the consent of the Folketing. Any measure which the King may take in pursuance of this provision shall forth with be submitted to the Folketing. If the Folketing is not in session it shall be convened immediately.
(3) The Folketing shall appoint from among its members a Foreign Policy Committee, which the government shall consult before making any decision of major importance to foreign policy. Rules applying to the Foreign Policy Committee shall be laid down by statute.
Factsand Figures: Referenda
Section 42, Subsection 6 of the CA states that Bills ratifying international treaties can be put to a referendum if the Danish Parliament decides to try the ratification in a referendum by introducing a separate Bill.
