Referendum quotes:

Send

Should National Security Issues be decided by a Local Referendum? -- Arun Jaitley
My hope is that my personal testimony can help in some way to not only advance the dialogue and approve Referendum 74, but also to help shape a culture of belonging in which ALL people are equal. -- Macklemore
It is difficult to understand these people who democratically take part in elections and a referendum, but are then incapable of democratically accepting the will of the people. -- Jose Saramago
If we had a consensus we wouldn't have to go to a referendum. -- George Papandreou
The decision on whether there is another referendum is down to the Scottish people. -- Nicola Sturgeon
I don't believe an Alliance government should sponsor legislation on abortion or a referendum on abortion. -- Stephen Harper
Maybe this will be the beginning of a trend? Flat taxes, cutting foreign aid, a referendum on Europe, grammar schools. Who knows? -- Nigel Farage
Drafting a constitution is only the first step. The constitution has to be granted legitimacy by open discussion and a fair, representative referendum. -- Emma Bonino
My goal is always to keep support for Israel a bi-partisan issue and never make a national election any kind of referendum on Israel. -- Alan Dershowitz
2010 is not just a choice between Republicans and Democrats. 2010 is not just a choice between liberals and conservatives. 2010 is a referendum on the very identity of our nation. -- Marco Rubio
The people have already determined Chechnya's status at the referendum - it is a unit of the Russian Federation. Its political status is not to be discussed any more. -- Akhmad Kadyrov
It's very interesting to me that the nationalist movement in Scotland has become so positive and self-reflective rather than anti-English. The referendum in 2014 was peaceful, for all its deeply and passionately divided people. -- Sarah Hall
We want all the Palestinians back in their homeland, and then there can be a fair referendum for people to choose the form of state they want. Whoever gets the majority can rule. -- Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani
However, I must say that I am very happy to see that we have such a positive result for our first referendum in our history and that gives me more confidence in Taiwan's democracy. -- Chen Shui-bian
What's fascinating about doing comedy about the referendum is, because it is the first time, it is the most extraordinary atmosphere. You find that if you are making jokes about politicians, it becomes intensely political. -- Rory Bremner
Remember the referendum on the Charlottetown constitutional accord? The more Canada's political and business elites threatened Canadians that the country would disappear into a black hole if the accord weren't passed, the more Canadians opposed it. -- Preston Manning
We have a Conservative leader that believes in green taxes, that won't bring back grammar schools, that believes in continuing with total open-door migration from eastern Europe and refuses to give us a referendum on the EU. -- Nigel Farage
If you want a referendum, vote for the others. Or, in certain cases, you can stay at home, you don't vote and you could find yourself with a referendum by default because you didn't exercise your vote. -- Jean Charest
People took part in the referendum because they were tired of the war. They are afraid of talking about it out loud, but they have shown exactly where they stand: Yes, we want peace, and we want to be a part of Russia. -- Akhmad Kadyrov
When the Canadian confederation took place in 1867, a lot of people in Quebec said, 'Could we have a referendum?' They said, 'Oh, no. In the British tradition, the Parliament can do anything, excluding changing a man into a woman, and, therefore, no referendum' - and that was that. -- Jacques Parizeau
--
Why don't we hear more about and from Asians when it comes to race in America? Are Asians the new Invisible Man - there but not there? In some ways, yeah. Blacks and whites are always carping about the metrics of racism. And any conversation about immigration reform is immediately flipped into a referendum on Hispanics. -- John Ridley
If the states and territories do not sign up to fundamental reform, then my message is equally simple: we will take this reform plan to the people at the next election - along with a referendum by or at that same election to give the Australian Government all the power it needs to reform the health system. -- Kevin Rudd
I was one of the actors in 'Braveheart,' and that had a huge impact on the political scene in Scotland. One of the results of that, in 2014 there's going to be a referendum in Scotland as to whether Scotland is going to be independent. A great deal of that was brought to the nation as a result of 'Braveheart.' -- James Cosmo
The 1860 election became a referendum on the southern way of life. -- Bruce Catton
No treaty should be ratified without consulting the British people in a referendum -- David Cameron
I am logically in favour of a referendum. It would be the only legitimate way. -- Jacques Chirac
Douglas Carswell accused all political parties of "deliberately cultivating the impression" that there would be a referendum. -- Douglas Carswell
A defensive referendum is for avoiding war and to help keep the Taiwanese people free of fear. -- Chen Shui-bian
Boris [ Johnson]and Dave [Cameron] gnawed each other's testicles [during the Tory civil war which blighted the EU referendum]. -- Ken Livingstone
Boycotting the referendum is a possible option ... because we believe that participating in the voting might be a useless act. -- Saleh al-Mutlaq
I don't understand why Italians should be bound to Brussels's choices without being able to express themselves through a referendum. -- Matteo Salvini
REFERENDUM, n. A law for submission of proposed legislation to a popular vote to learn the nonsensus of public opinion. -- Ambrose Bierce
The Government have made it clear that the constitutional treaty will be ratified in the UK only after a referendum. -- Geoff Hoon
No, a euro referendum will not be part of a government programme if we get the chance to form one, -- Helle Thorning-Schmidt
The good thing about not calling it a Constitution is that no one can ask for a referendum on it. -- Giuliano Amato
If there are further steps to European integration, the people should have their say at a general election or in a referendum. -- Tony Blair
It is a necessary precondition for the success of a referendum that there should be broad community consensus and bipartisan support for it. -- George Brandis
Initiative and referendum make government more responsive to its citizens, neutralize the power of the special interests and stimulate public involvement in state issues. -- George W. Bush
If tomorrow morning Brussels should decide to let Turkey in, Italians wouldn't be free to oppose it, neither in Parliament nor through a referendum. A -- Matteo Salvini
Hey, the bait is here. Get in Quebecers, get in the lobster trap, and then we'll close the door. And you'll have a referendum no matter what, -- Philippe Couillard
I've repeated it 100 times and I'm going to look you in the eye, tonight, Mr. Couillard: there will be no referendum as long as Quebecers aren't ready. -- Philippe Couillard
I will ensure we honour the instructions the British people have given us. I argued for specific changes in the referendum campaign, I believe in them, I will deliver them. -- Michael Gove
In the referendum - which was still decided to take place by the Crimea's old parliament - the majority of citizens voted for belonging to Russia. This is democracy, the people's will. -- Vladimir Putin
Funny to watch these Senators switching back and forth on Prohibition. Politics is a great character builder. You have to take a referendum to see what your convictions are for that day. -- Will Rogers
No two countries are identical, and obviously, there's a difference between a referendum on a very complex relationship between Great Britain and the rest of Europe, and a presidential election in the United States. -- Barack Obama
But if one's dreams having to come true was the only referendum on whether they were beautiful, or worth dreaming, well then, no one would wish for anything. And that would be so much sadder. -- David Rakoff
Ten years ago, in the aftermath of the referendum in Quebec, the very existence of Canada was on the line... I had a responsibility to ensure that Canada never again came close to the precipice, -- Jean Chretien

Send