Why turnout matters
A referendum is not simply a contest among those who happened to vote. Because it concerns the whole country, participation itself becomes part of the legitimacy of the result.
That is why a minimum turnout requirement is important. It helps to:
- strengthen the legitimacy of the result
- prevent major state decisions from being made on the basis of very low participation
- show that the outcome reflects meaningful public involvement
How the threshold works
If the legally required level of turnout is not reached, then:
- voting may still have taken place
- but the legal result may be considered insufficient
- and the proposed decision may fail to take effect
Why this is especially important for constitutional questions
Constitutional questions should not normally be decided by a tiny and accidental portion of the electorate. A turnout requirement helps ensure that a constitutional decision is backed by broad civic participation.
Is turnout alone enough
No. Usually, two elements matter:
- A sufficient number of voters must participate.
- A sufficient majority must support one option.
So both participation and support matter.
Historical and current figures
- 1995 – turnout 90%
- 2022 – turnout 68%
- 2026 – according to the CEC, as of 18:00, turnout is 70.98% (8,845,280 citizens received ballots): the 50% threshold has been exceeded
Practical meaning
A turnout threshold encourages citizens not to treat participation as irrelevant. In a referendum, choosing not to participate can affect whether the entire process reaches legal effectiveness.