ADP referendum: "Far from being a failure, the score confirms a request for direct democracy"

2/12/2020, 7:10:31 PM

Laurence Morel, a researcher at the Sciences Po Political Research Center (Cevipof), wrote The Question of the Referendum (Sciences Po Press).

LE FIGARO. - The shared initiative referendum (RIP) was supported by a million citizens, far from the 4.7 million needed. Is it a failure?

Laurence MOREL. - The referendum is likely not to be called, but this score is far from being a failure. It confirms a request for direct democracy. One million signatories gathered in six months, that represents 2% of the voters, even though they have no familiarity with this procedure. The Swiss or the Italians, used to popular initiatives, are no better.

Read also: The shared initiative referendum, too complex and restrictive?

Is the theme, economic and seen as Ile-de-France, too narrow to mobilize 10% of voters?

The number of signatures required was immediately too high. Of course, it would have been easier to mobilize the French on a social issue, such as PMA for all, or on pension reform. Then, a mistake may have been made during the collection of signatures: the pro-referendums argued on the relevance of a privatization