411 REFERENCE · Wiktionary
Referendum
Reference material by Wiktionary contributors. This retains its source identity and is not 411 news reporting.
referendum référendum referéndum referèndum
German
Etymology
From de la referendum. Much reinforced in recent years by en referendum.
Pronunciation
de /ˌʁɛfəˈʁɛndʊm/ /ˌʁeːfə-/
de De-Referendum.ogg <<Germany>> (<<Berlin>>)
Noun
n,,Referenden
referendum direct popular vote on a proposed law or other political decision
de Plebiszit<q:chiefly learned> ; Volksbefragung<q:chiefly non-binding> ; Volksentscheid<q:all German states except Baden-Württemberg> ; Volksabstimmung<q:Austria, and Baden-Württemberg>
Usage notes
In German, the word is used chiefly for referendums at the national level or, in the case of independence referendums, the level of regions striving for independence. For other regional and for local votes, the terms de Volksentscheid and (in Baden-Württemberg and Austria) de Volksabstimmung (until recently preferred in all contexts) remain more common and are treated as synonyms.
In German in Switzerland, the term Referendum is only used for referendums proposed by the government or parliament. The term Volksabstimmung is used for the process of voting on both laws proposed by the government or parliament and popular initiatives proposed by a minimum number of citizens, called Volksinitiativen.
Declension
n,,Referenden
Derived terms
de EU-Referendum Scheinreferendum Unabhängigkeitsreferendum
Further reading
de
de Democracy