1995 Ecuadorian referendum

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An eleven-part referendum was held in Ecuador on 26 November 1995. Voters were asked whether they approved of the decentralisation of social and healthcare authorities, the privatisation of social security, equalising public spending between the provinces, abolishing civil servants' right to strike, whether the President should have the authority to dissolve the National Assembly, whether local councils should have a four-year term of office, whether the President and Vice-President of the National Assembly should only serve two-year terms, whether eight constitutional reforms proposed by President Sixto Durán Ballén should be approved, certain reforms to the judiciary, legal rights for civil servants and the creation of a Constitutional Court.[1] All eleven proposals were rejected.[1]

Background[edit]

Amidst a political crisis that resulted in the attempted impeachment, and later resignation and exile of Vicepresident Alberto Dahik, on 20 September 1995 President Durán Ballén called for a referendum with eleven questions for voters. Eight were advisory questions held under article 79 of the constitution, which allowed the President to submit questions of "national importance" to voters, but the results were not binding for the National Assembly.[2]

The other three questions (on judicial reform, the establishment of a Constitutional Court and legal rights for civil servants) were held under article 149 of the constitution, which allowed the President to put constitutional changes to voters after the National Assembly had not approved them within 90 days (the proposals had been submitted to the Assembly in 1994). The results of those three questions were binding.[2]

Results[edit]

Issue For Against Invalid/
blank
Total Registered
voters
Turnout
Votes % Votes %
Decentralising social and healthcare authorities 1,322,174 44.53 1,647,031 55.47 888,385 3,857,590 6,578,974 58.64
Privatisation of social security 1,200,491 39.68 1,824,636 60.32 832,645 3,857,772 58.64
Equal distribution of state spending between provinces 1,338,275 44.94 1,639,455 56.06 879,251 3,856,981 58.63
Banning public sector strikes 1,184,321 39.69 1,799,785 60.31 872,328 3,856,434 58.62
President can dissolve the National Assembly 1,131,996 37.55 1,882,934 62.45 841,300 3,856,230 58.61
Four year terms for local councils 1,214,455 39.95 1,825,840 60.05 818,175 3,858,470 58.65
Two year terms for National Assembly leaders 1,307,079 43.17 1,720,461 56.83 831,898 3,859,438 58.66
Constitutional reforms 1,310,928 43.57 1,698,087 56.43 848,538 3,857,553 58.63
Judicial reforms 1,186,018 40.18 1,765,610 59.82 908,259 3,859,887 58.67
Legal rights for civil servants 1,342,446 43.94 1,712,452 56.06 802,502 3,857,400 58.63
Creation of a Constitutional Court 1,176,319 39.77 1,781,355 60.23 900,934 3,858,608 58.65
Source: Direct Democracy

References[edit]