France Advances Two Distinct Citizens Initiated Referenda Proposals

France Advances Two Distinct Citizens’ Initiative Referendum Proposals

Topic: Direct Democracy

Updated reports released September 18–19, 2026 — National Assembly Law Commission

Overview

The French National Assembly’s Law Commission has published updated reviews of two separate constitutional reform bills that would embed citizens’ initiative referendums (RIC) into the French Constitution — a long-demanded reform gaining momentum ahead of the 2027 presidential election. The proposals set out fundamentally different models for how direct citizen-led voting would operate.

Bill No. 1552 — Full-Scope Citizens’ Initiative Referendum

This proposal establishes three distinct mechanisms:

• Legislative RIC — Citizens may propose new legislation via petition
• Abrogatory RIC — Citizens may petition to repeal existing laws
• Recall RIC — Citizens may trigger recall referendums for local elected officials

Originally filed in late 2018, the bill has been re-examined in the current legislature with updated drafting and threshold considerations.

Official source (French): assemblee-nationale.fr/dyn/15/textes/l15b1552_proposition-loi

Bill No. 2424 — Deliberative Citizens’ Initiative Referendum

Introduced February 2026, this version creates a two-stage process designed to encourage informed, balanced public decision-making:

1. Valid citizen signatures convene a citizens’ assembly (150 randomly selected, demographically representative members) to deliberate, hold hearings, and draft a clear, balanced proposal.
2. The proposal then goes to a national referendum — requiring a majority vote plus turnout of at least 35% of all registered voters to pass.

Supporters argue this approach avoids the oversimplification common in single-issue referendums and ensures broad public buy-in.

Official source (French): assemblee-nationale.fr/dyn/17/textes/l17b2424_proposition-loi

Broader Context

Parallel to these parliamentary bills, a citizens’ campaign has gathered over 150,000 signatures calling for constitutional recognition of the RIC as a fundamental right. Polling consistently shows 79–84% public support for introducing some form of citizens’ initiative referendum in France.

Sources: Assemblée nationale — Law Commission reports, September 18–19, 2026