Legal provisions for citizens' initiatives at national level

Federal law “On Basic Guarantees of Electoral Rights and the Right of Citizens of the Russian Federation to Participate in a Referendum” (as amended on September 27, December 24, 2002; June 23, July 4, 2003)

Article 14. Initiative to Hold Referendum

1. In the Russian Federation, the initiative to hold a referendum is vested in those citizens of the Russian Federation who are entitled to participate in a referendum. 2. The initiative to hold a referendum may be vested in other subjects by a federal law.

3. In order to initiate a referendum and collect signatures of citizens of the Russian Federation in support thereof, a referendum initiative group may be formed. Any citizen or a group of citizens of the Russian Federation who are entitled to participate in a referendum shall have the right to form such initiative group.The initiative to hold a referendum may also be exercised by an electoral association or another public association the charter of which provides for participation at participation in elections and/or referendums and which is registered in the procedure prescribed by the federal law at a level corresponding to the level of the referendum or a higher level no later thannot later than one year before the date of forming the referendum initiative group. The number of members of an initiative group for a referendum of the Russian Federation shall be set by a federal constitutional law; the number of members of the initiative group for a referendum of a subject of the Russian Federation or a local referendum shall be set in accordance with this Federal Law, law of the subject of the Russian Federation, the charter of the municipality.

4. For a referendum to be called, a referendum initiative group established inaccordance with Clause 3 of this article shall submit signatures of referendum participants supporting the referendum initiative to the body prescribed by a federal constitutional law, a law of the subject of the Russian Federation, or by the charter of the municipality.