A seven-question referendum was held in Belarus on 24 November 1996. Four questions were put forward by President Alexander Lukashenko on changing the date of the country's independence day, amending the constitution, changing laws on the sale of land and the abolition of the death penalty. The Supreme Council put forward three questions on constitutional amendments by the Communist and Agrarian factions, local elections and the national finances.
General elections were held in Belgium on 26 March 1961. The result was a victory for the Christian Social Party, which won 96 of the 212 seats in the Chamber of Representatives and 47 of the 106 seats in the Senate. Voter turnout was 92.3%. Elections for the nine provincial councils were also held.
A constitutional referendum was held in France on 21 October 1945. Voters were asked whether they approved of the Assembly elected on the same day serving as a Constituent Assembly, and whether until a new constitution was approved, the country would be governed according to a proposed set of laws that appeared on the ballot paper. If the first proposal had not been approved, the Third Republic would have been restored, but its approval led to the creation of the Fourth Republic. Both were approved by wide margins with a turnout of 79.8%.
A double referendum was held in Italy on 11 June 1978. Voters were asked whether they approved of the repealing of laws on political party financing and public order. Both proposals were rejected.
A five-part referendum was held in Italy on 17 May 1981. The proposals included repealing laws on public order, life sentences, gun licences, abortion. All were rejected by voters, with no proposal receiving more than 32% of the vote.
A referendum on the electoral law was held in Italy on 9 June 1991. Voters were asked whether the clause of the law on the number of preference votes should be scrapped. The result was 95.6% in favour, with a turnout of 65.1%.
A referendum on the electoral law was held in Italy on 18 April 1999. Voters were asked whether they approved of replacing the mixed-member proportional representation electoral system with one based solely on single-member constituencies, with the 25% of seats instead allocated to the second-placed in the constituencies with the most votes. The proposal was supported by larger parties, but opposed by smaller ones. Although the proposal was approved by 91.5% of voters, turnout was only 49.6%, resulting in the referendum being invalidated as the threshold of 50% was not passed.
A constitutional referendum was held in Italy on 25 June 2006. Voters were asked whether they approved of amending 57 articles of the constitution. The reforms were proposed by the Silvio Berlusconi government, which had lost power in the April 2006 elections. They would have given more power to the Prime Minister by allowing him or her to dissolve parliament, appoint and sack ministers and control government policy. The Chamber of Deputies would have been given responsibility for foreign policy, defence and immigration, and the Senate responsibility for federal law. The proposals would also have increased the power of the regions, giving them control of education, healthcare, law and order, as well as giving them representation in the Supreme Court. The proposals were opposed by the incumbent Prime Minister Romano Prodi, and were rejected by 61.3% of voters.
A referendum on the Insurance Law was held in Latvia on 24 and 25 February 1934. The referendum was initiated by the Latvian Social Democratic Workers' Party and its supporters and asked voters whether they approved of the law "On Provision in cases of old age, disability and unemployment", more commonly known as the Insurance Law. The law would provide social protection for the elderly, disabled and unemployed. Although it was passed by a wide margin, voter turnout was below the necessary threshold and the law was not passed by the Saeima.
A three-part referendum was held in Switzerland on 21 October 1877. A federal law on working in factories was approved by voters, whilst a federal law on compensation for not serving in the military and a federal law on the political rights of settled and travelling people and the loss of rights for Swiss citizens were both rejected.
Three referendums were held in Switzerland in 1882. Two were held on 30 July on copyright law and measures against epidemics, both of which were rejected. The third was held on 26 November on executing article 27 of the federal constitution, and was rejected by 64.9% of voters.
Two referendums were held in Switzerland in 1887. The first was held on 15 May, asking voters whether they approved of a federal law on spirits, and was approved by 65.9% of voters. The second was held on 10 July, asking voters whether they approved of an amendment made to article 64 of the federal constitution, and was approved by 77.9% of voters and 20.5 cantons.
Five referendums were held in Switzerland in 1891. The first was held on 15 March on a federal law on federal officials who had become unemployable due to disability, and was rejected by 79.4% of voters. The second was held on 5 July on a constitutional amendment, and was approved by 60.3% of voters. Two referendums were held on 18 October, one on revising article 39 of the federal constitution and one on a federal law on Swiss tariffs; both were approved. The last was held on 6 December on the question of whether the federal government should purchase the Swiss central railway, but was rejected by 68.9% of voters.
A referendum on employment protection was held in Switzerland on 17 February 1924. Voters were asked whether they approved of an amendment to the federal employment protection law. The proposal was rejected by 57.6% of voters.
A referendum on federal salaries was held in Switzerland on 28 May 1933. Voters were asked whether they approved of a federal law that would lower the salaries of federal officials on a temporary basis. The proposal was rejected by 55.1% of voters.
A referendum on public order was held in Switzerland on 11 March 1934. Voters were asked whether they approved of a federal law on maintaining public order. The proposal was rejected by 53.8% of voters.
A three-part referendum was held in Switzerland on 4 October 1896. Voters were asked whether they approved of a federal law on guarantees in the cattle trade, a federal law on the accounting system for the railways and a federal law on the disciplinary penal code for the federal army. Whilst the law on the railways was approved, the other two were rejected by voters.
Three referendums were held in Switzerland during 1898. The first was held on 20 February on a federal law that would nationalise the railways, and was approved by a majority of voters, leading to the establishment of Swiss Federal Railways in 1902. The second and third referendums were held on 13 November on revising article 64 and adding article 64bis to the constitution, both of which were approved by a majority of voters and cantons.
Thirteen referendums were held in Switzerland during 1994. The first five were held on 20 February on federal resolutions on roadbuilding, continuing existing truck tolls and varying tolls based on engine power or mileage, as well as a popular initiative "for the protection of the alpine region from through traffic" and an amendment to the aeronautical law. All five were approved by voters. The second set of referendums was held on 12 June on federal resolutions on an article on the Swiss Federal Constitution on the promotion of culture and a review of the procedure for naturalising young immigrants, as well as a federal law on Swiss troops in peacekeeping operations. Whilst the resolutions were both approved by a majority of voters, they did not receive the approval from the majority of cantons, so were rejected, as was the law on troops.
Fifteen referendums were held in Switzerland during 2000. The first five were held on 12 March on reforming the judiciary and four popular initiatives; "for speeding up direct democracy ", "for a just representation of women in federal authorities", "for the protection of men against manipulations in procreation technology" and one to reduce motorised road by 50%. Whilst the judiciary reform was approved, all four popular initiatives were rejected. The next referendum was held on 21 May to authorise sectoral agreements between Switzerland and the European Union, and was approved by around two-thirds of voters.
