How many signatures are required to start the formal decision making stage of a direct democracy mechanism?
Ecuador
- Referendum - proportion of the electorate
- Citizens' Initiative - proportion of the electorate
- Agenda Initiative - proportion of the electorate
CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OFECUADOR (2008)
http://pdba.georgetown.edu/Constitutions/Ecuador/english08.html
Article 103. Grass-roots legal andregulatory initiatives shall be exercised to propose the creation, amendment orrepeal of legal regulations to the Legislative Branch of Government or anyother body that has a regulatory jurisdiction. It must benefit from the backingof a number accounting for no less than zero point twenty-five percent (0.25%)of the persons registered in the voter registration list of the corresponding jurisdiction.
Those who propose a grass-roots initiativeshall participate, by means of their representatives, in discussing the projectin the corresponding body, which shall have a term of one-hundred eighty (180)days to review the proposal; if the proposal is not reviewed within thosetime-limits, it will enter into force.
When it involves a bill, the President ofthe Republic shall be able amend the bill but not to veto it completely.
For the submittal of constitutionalamendment proposals, the backing of a number accounting for no less than onepercent (1%) of the persons registered in the voter registration list shall berequired. If the Legislative Branch does not review the proposal within a termof one year, the proposers will be able to request the National ElectoralCouncil to call for a referendum, without the need to provide the eight percent(8%) backing of those registered in the voter registration list. While onegrass-roots proposal to amend the Constitution is being processed, no other canbe submitted at the same time.
Article 104. The corresponding electoralbody shall convene a referendum as ordered by the President of the Republic,the supreme authority of decentralized autonomous governments or citizeninitiative.
The President of the Republic shallinstruct the National Electoral Council to convene a referendum on mattershe/she deems advisable.
Decentralized autonomous governments, onthe basis of a decision taken by three fourths of their members, can requestthat a referendum be convened on issues of interest for their jurisdiction.
Citizens will be able to request the callfor a referendum on any matter. When the referendum is nationwide, thepetitioner must reckon with the backing of a number accounting for no less thanfive percent (5%) of the persons registered in the voter registration list;when the referendum is local, it must be backed by a number accounting for noless than 10% of the corresponding voter list.
When the referendum is requested byEcuadorians abroad, for matters of interest to them and involving theEcuadorian State, it shall require the backing of a number accounting for noless than five percent (5%) of the persons registered on the voter registrationlist of their special voting precinct.
Referendums requested by the decentralizedautonomous governments or the citizenry shall not be able to refer totax-related matters or the country’s political and administrative structure,except for what is provided for in the Constitution.
In all cases, a previous ruling by theConstitutional Court on the constitutionality of the proposed questions shallbe required.
Article 105. All persons, in the exerciseof their political rights, will be able to recall elected authorities.
The request for recall can be submittedafter the first year and before the last year of the term of office for whichthe challenged authority was elected. During the term of office of anauthority, only one proceeding requesting his/her recall can be carried out.
The request for recall must be backed by anumber accounting for no less than ten percent (10%) of the persons registeredin the corresponding voter registration list. In the case of the President ofthe Republic, backing by a number accounting for no less than fifteen percent(15%) of the persons registered in the electoral registration list.
Ley Orgánica Electoral y de OrganizacionesPolíticas de la República del Ecuador, Código de la Democracia (Democracycode), del 27 de abril de 2009
http://idbdocs.iadb.org/wsdocs/getdocument.aspx?docnum=35394757
Art. 187.- La ciudadan?a conel respaldo de al menos el ocho por
ciento de las personasinscritas en el registro electoral podr?
proponer la enmienda de uno ovarios art?culos de la Constitución que
no altere suestructura fundamental, el car?cter y elementos
constitutivosdel Estado, que no establezca restricciones a los
derechos ygarant?as, o que no modifique el procedimiento de reforma
de laConstitución. El tr?mite a seguir ser? el establecido para la
consulta popular.
Art. 188.- Ante la AsambleaNacional se podr?n presentar
propuestas de iniciativaciudadana para la reforma parcial de la
Constitución,que no supongan una restricci?n en los derechos y
garant?as constitucionales,ni modifique el procedimiento de reforma
de laConstitución, con el respaldo de al menos el uno por ciento de
ciudadanas y ciudadanos inscritos en elregistro electoral nacional.
Art. 193.- La iniciativa popularnormativa se ejercer? para
proponer la creaci?n, reformao derogatoria de normas jur?dicas ante
la AsambleaNacional o ante cualquier otro ?rgano con competencia
normativa.Deber? contar con el respaldo de un n?mero no inferior al
cero puntoveinte y cinco por ciento de las personas inscritas en el
registro electoral de la jurisdicci?ncorrespondiente.
Art. 195.- ElConsejo Nacional Electoral convocar? a consulta
popular por disposici?n de laPresidenta o Presidente de la República,
de la m?xima autoridad de losgobiernos aut?nomos descentralizados, de
la iniciativa ciudadana o porla Asamblea Nacional en el caso
establecido en el art?culo 407de la Constitución de la República y
para convocar una AsambleaConstituyente.
La Presidenta o Presidente dela República dispondr? al Consejo
NacionalElectoral que convoque a consulta popular sobre los asuntos
que estimeconvenientes, al tenor de las facultades contenidas en la
Constitución.
El Presidente de la Repúblicapodr? proponer la realizaci?n de
una consultapopular sobre un proyecto de Ley que haya sido negado por
la AsambleaNacional, de conformidad con las normas de esta secci?n.
Los gobiernosaut?nomos descentralizados, con la decisi?n de las
tres cuartaspartes de sus integrantes, debidamente certificada por la
secretaria delrespectivo nivel de gobierno, podr?n solicitar la
convocatoria aconsulta popular sobre temas de inter?s para su
jurisdicci?n.
La ciudadan?apodr? solicitar la convocatoria a consulta popular
sobre cualquierasunto. Cuando la consulta sea de car?cter nacional,
el petitoriocontar? con el respaldo de un n?mero no inferior al cinco
por ciento depersonas inscritas en el registro electoral; cuando sea
de car?cterlocal el respaldo ser? de un n?mero no inferior al diez
por ciento delcorrespondiente registro electoral.
Cuando laconsulta sea solicitada por ecuatorianas y
ecuatorianos en el exterior,para asuntos de su inter?s y relacionados
