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A four-part referendum on alcohol was held in the Faroe Islands on 6 November 1907. Voters were asked whether they approved of the trading and serving of beer, wine and spirits. All four proposals were rejected by voters. Following the referendum, prohibition was introduced in 1908 on all beverages with an alcohol content above 2%. An attempt in 1973 to overturn this ban was rejected in another referendum, but it was eventually lifted in 1992.
In 1907 the Løgting voted to hold a consultative referendum on banning alcohol. All men and women over the age of 25 were entitled to vote, the first time women had been able to do so. [1]
| Question | For | Against | Total | Registered voters | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Votes | % | |||
| Trading in spirits | 130 | 3.62 | 3,458 | 96.38 | 3,588 | 7,374 |
| Serving of spirits | 104 | 2.93 | 3,443 | 97.07 | 3,547 | |
| Trading in beer and wine | 108 | 3.04 | 3,447 | 96.96 | 3,555 | |
| Serving of beer and wine | 110 | 3.11 | 3,431 | 96.89 | 3,541 | |
| Source: Direct Democracy | ||||||
Prohibition is the act or practice of forbidding something by law; more particularly the term refers to the banning of the manufacture, storage, transportation, sale, possession, and consumption of alcoholic beverages. The word is also used to refer to a period of time during which such bans are enforced.
Since the introduction of parliamentarism in Sweden, six national referendums have been held. Legal provisions for referendums were introduced in 1922, one year after the adoption of universal suffrage. The Constitution of Sweden provides for binding referendums, but all referendums held as of 2012 have been non-binding. The latest referendum, on adopting the euro, was held on 14 September 2003.
Eight referendums were held in Switzerland during 2009. The first was held on 8 February on extending the freedom of movement for workers from Bulgaria and Romania. The next two were held on 17 May 2009 on introducing biometric passports and the "Future with complementary medicine" proposal. A further two were held on 27 September on increasing VAT and the introduction of public initiatives. The final three were held on 29 November on banning the construction of new minarets, exporting weapons and the use of aviation fuel taxation.
Canadian liquor plebiscites, held in 1920 under the Canada Temperance Act and the Dominion Elections Act, were referendums on the strengthening of the Prohibition measures in effect in several provinces of Canada. Voters were asked if they supported banning of importation of liquor across provincial boundaries. The referendums were held on July 10, 1920, in New Brunswick; on October 20 in British Columbia; and on October 25 in Alberta, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, and Saskatchewan.
Prohibition in Iceland went into effect in 1915 and lasted, to some extent, until 1 March 1989. The ban had originally prohibited all alcohol, but from 1922 legalized wine and in 1935 legalized all alcoholic beverages except beer with more than 2.25% alcohol content. As in many other states with prohibition, "illegal brewing and smuggling of alcoholic beverages were widespread during the ban."
Five referendums were held in Liechtenstein during 1992. The first was held on 15 March on whether referendums should be introduced to approve international treaties, and was approved by 71.4% of voters. The second on 28 June concerned lowering the voting age from 20 to 18, but was rejected by 56.3% of voters. Two were held on 8 November on abolishing the 8% electoral threshold and adding a clause to the constitution banning discrimination, both of which were rejected. The fifth and final referendum on 13 December was on joining the European Economic Area. It was approved by 55.8% of voters, with a voter turnout of 87%.
A five-part referendum was held in Italy on 17 and 18 May 1981. The proposals included repealing laws on public order, life sentences, gun licences, and abortion. All were rejected by voters, with no proposal receiving more than 32% of the vote.
Twelve national referendums were held in Switzerland during 2012. On 11 March, voters across the country were asked five questions on employment leave, second houses, building society savings, the Fixed Book Price Agreement and gambling revenues. On 17 June, there were three questions on healthcare, foreign policy and home buying. On 23 September, there were three on a smoking ban, secure housing in old age and music lessons at school. A final referendum was held on 25 November on the Animal Diseases Act.
Three referendums were held in Switzerland during 1894. The first was held on 4 March on a federal resolution to amend the constitution regarding trade and commerce, and was rejected by a majority of voters and cantons. The second was held on 3 June on a popular initiative on the right to work, and was rejected by a majority of voters and all cantons. The third was held on 4 November 1894 on a popular initiative on a partial contribution to tariffs from the cantons, and was also rejected by a majority of voters and cantons.
Three referendums were held in Switzerland during 1908. The first two were held on 5 July on amending the federal trade law and on banning absinthe. Both were approved by a majority of voters and cantons. The third was held on 25 October on adding article 24bis to the constitution, concerning hydroelectricity and electricity. It was also approved by a majority of voters and cantons.
Four referendums were held in Switzerland during 1923. The first two were held on 18 February on protective custody and a federal resolution on relations with France over the former free trade area of Haute-Savoie. The third was held on 15 April on a popular initiative "for the ensuring of people's rights in questions regarding tariffs", whilst the fourth was held on 3 June on amending articles 31 and 32bis of the constitution regarding alcohol. All four were rejected by voters.
Five referendums were held in Switzerland during 1929. The first three were held on 3 March on the issues of grain supply and a federal law on tariffs. The counter-proposal to the grain supply question and the tariffs law were both approved. The fourth and fifth referendums were held on 12 May on popular initiatives on road traffic and banning spirits. Both were rejected by voters.
A number of referendums on alcohol licensing were held in New Zealand between 2 December 1894 and 15 August 1987. Because of their differing questions and rules, these referendums can be broken down into three time periods divided by what options were presented to voters.
Eleven national referendums were held in Switzerland during 2013. Voters approved six proposals related to spatial planning, executive pay, family policy, amendments to the laws on asylum and epidemics and an increase in the length of petrol station shop opening hours. The other five proposals on directly electing the Federal Council, abolishing compulsory military service, limiting salaries in a company to 12 times the lowest paid worker, tax credits for stay-at-home parents and an increase in road tax were rejected.
A two-part referendum on alcohol was held in Greenland on 20 June 1978. Voters were asked whether they approved of the banning or rationing of alcohol. The ban on alcohol was rejected by 55% of voters, whilst the rationing proposal was approved by 58% of voters.
A referendum on creating a state monopoly on alcoholic beverages was held in the Faroe Islands on 8 November 1973. The proposal was rejected by 62% of voters, equating to 37.7% of registered voters, above the 33% quorum required for rejection. Prohibition was eventually lifted in 1992.
Several federal referendums were held in Switzerland in 2020, with voting on 9 February, 27 September and 29 November. Voting was also planned for 17 May, but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Federal referendums were held in Switzerland on 7 March, 13 June, 26 September, and 28 November 2021. Swiss referendums take three forms: popular initiatives, which are citizen proposals to create a new law and require 100,000 valid signatures on a petition to get on the ballot; facultative or optional referendums, which are citizen proposals to approve or reject a piece of existing law and require 50,000 valid signatures on a petition to get on the ballot; and mandatory referendums, which are required to revise the constitution, join an international organisation or introduce emergency federal legislation for over a year.
A referendum concerning whether hotels should be allowed to trade on Sundays was put to voters in New South Wales on 29 November 1969 but was unsuccessful.
| Løgting elections |
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| Referendums | |
See also: Elections and referendums in Denmark | |
