The rules of the Amsterdam system, including the concessions to the Social Democrats:

 

* With 1000 signatures, citizens can introduce a proposal in the local council. Citizens have a right to help of civil servants when drafting their proposal. We conceded to the Social Democrats that the same topics are excluded as in the current bad referendum law: the local budget, local taxes, “vulnerable groups” (asylum seekers, prostitutes etc.), urgent matters, and the municipal organization. However, an independent Referendum commission (currently led by a respected lawyer who is in favour of initiative and referendum) will give a authoritative advise to the local council.

* The proposal may be a rejection of a government decision, a new proposal or a combination of both.

* If the Council rejects the proposal, citizens can gather about 25.000 signatures (4,5 percent of the eligible voters) within 6 months to obtain a referendum. There’s free signature gathering.

* The citizen initiative can withdraw it’s initiative until some months before the referendum.

* The Amsterdam Council always campaigns to defend their decision, and use sometimes 450.000 euro tax payers’ money for that. In the new system, this budget will automatically be divided in half: the citizen group gets half and the government gets half. There will also be a Referendum Brochure sent to all voters and published by the independent Referendum commission, in which the citizen group and the government get half of the space and have to react on each other’s arguments.

* If the Mayor thinks that an initiative proposal leads to big costs, he can ask the citizen group for a financing scheme. However, a majority of the Council can rule that that’s not necessary. The citizen initiative has a right to help of civil servants for drafting a financing scheme.

* The council has the right to make a counter proposal. The citizens can then choose between 3 options: the status quo, the citizen proposal, or the council proposal.

* The citizen group can withdraw their initiative up to 3 months before the vote. This can lead to negotiations between the Mayor and the citizen group, to find a solution which both can support.

* The national Constitution doesn’t allow binding referendums. However, there’s a widespread practice of “self-binding” of politicians. The Amsterdam council has promised to respect the outcome of referendums; this will be extended to the new system.

* Referendums are valid of 20 per cent of the eligible voters are participating.

* Referendums will be combined, if possible, on one yearly voting day.