Today, the Prime Minister, Minister of State, Xavier Bettel, has decided that the request for the organisation of a referendum on the proposed revision of Chapter VI of the Constitution, submitted by an initiative committee and received on 26 October 2021, is declared admissible as it meets the requirements set by the amended law of 4 February 2005.
As a reminder, the next steps are as follows:
Publication of a notice in the Official Journal of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
A notice will be published within eight days in the Official Journal and in at least three daily newspapers. This communication includes the title and text of the constitutional revision, the contact details of the members of the initiative committee and the start and end dates of the signature collection period.
Information by the municipalities
Subsequently, municipalities must inform voters of the request to hold a referendum and indicate the venues where voters can, during the planned collection period, support the request by registering on the lists. Municipalities must also indicate the times and days on which registrations can be received. Opening hours should be set at a minimum of six hours per week and Saturdays must be included in the opening days.
Collection of signatures
The collection of signatures shall begin at the latest fifteen days after the date of publication of the Prime Minister's notice in the Official Journal.
In order to support the request for a referendum, the voter, with a valid identity document, must go in person to the municipality of residence and register there. A municipal official checks his identity and that he is registered on the electoral list.
Signing on behalf of a third party is prohibited.
Publication of results
At the end of the signature collection period, each municipality sends the results to the Prime Minister who verifies them and determines the total number of signatures. No later then three weeks after the end of the signature collection period, the results are communicated to the initiative committee and published in the Official Journal.
The result published in the Official Journal may be challenged by any voter within five days from the date of its publication before the Administrative Court.
25,000 signatures for a referendum
The request for a referendum has been successful if the total number of valid signatures, collected within two months of the first vote on the constitutional revision text in the Chamber of Deputies (Art. 114 of the Constitution), is at least 25,000.
The referendum
In this case, the referendum must be held within six months. In the event of legislative or European elections within this period, this period is extended by six months.
The day of the referendum must be a Sunday or a public holiday. In no case may it be held during the three months preceding or following legislative or European elections.
Press release by the Ministry of State