ABSTRACT
In Central Asia, seven countries which were formerly part of the Soviet Union appear on the Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance list with legal provisions for local referendums. Since 1996, local assemblies have had the option to pass local referendum laws, which enabled many local referendums, mainly on environmental subjects, including the establishment of nuclear plants and opposing central government policies. In Taiwan, the development of local referendums started on an unexpected path. With more referendums on the same and other subjects, such as economic developments, local governments tried to establish this kind of informal, consultative referendum on the policies of the central government. Local referendums have a weak legal status and their results are most often non-binding and purely consultative. Mandatory referendums are very rare in local politics. Dealing with local politics and local democracy has also gained relevance as, during the last two or three decades, many reforms of local governance have been discussed and practiced.
