Agreement on Changes to Referendum Rules

The agreement secures the two-thirds majority required to amend the constitution. The agreement includes a minimum 35% turnout for the outcome of the referendum to be valid. The parties also reached an agreement on topics that would be off-limits to referendum decisions. These comprise emergency measures in case of natural disasters or defence of the country, in cases of a risk to human rights and fundamental freedoms and also fiscal issues. The compromise proposal is for the National Assembly to have the right to call a referendum at its own initiative but only at the request of 40,000 voters. A referendum can no longer be initiated by one third of the members of the National Assembly or by the National Council, the upper chamber of parliament. A tentative compromise for minimum turnout was reached by all parties bar the junior coalition, New Slovenia (NSi) but even without them, the necessary two-thirds majority has been secured in parliament for the changes to be enacted.
 

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