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Bulgarian president wants referendum on key electoral issues

Xinhua, June 3, 2015 Adjust font size:

Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev on Wednesday submitted to Parliament a proposal to hold a national referendum on the basic principles related to the electoral rights, his press office said.

Plevneliev, who according to the Bulgarian Constitution can set the date for national referendums but only after the National Assembly has passed the resolution for holding a national referendum, proposed the referendum be held along with the local elections on Oct. 25, 2015, the press office said in a statement.

According to Plevneliev, the referendum should consist of the following three questions: "Are you in favor part of MPs to be elected in a majority way"; "Are you in favor the introduction of compulsory voting at elections and national referendums"; and "Are you in favor the introduction of remote electronic voting in elections and referenda."

In January 2014, Plevneliev demanded a referendum on the same three questions, but the then parliamentary majority rejected the request.

The President believes that the questions posed over a year ago are still relevant today, the statement said.

Larger number of voters would make election results more legitimate, and institutions more stable, the statement said. Endit