CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF MOZAMBIQUE
Article 135
General Principles of the Electoral System
1. The general rule shall be that the appointment of elective sovereign public
offices and elective local and provincial offices shall take place through universal,
direct, equal and periodic suffrage and by personal and secret ballot.
2. Results of elections shall be calculated according to the system of proportional
representation.
3. Voter registration and electoral activity shall be the supervised by an
independent and impartial body, the composition, organisation, operation and
powers of which shall be established by law.
4. The electoral procedures shall be regulated by law.
Article 136
Referenda
1. Citizens who have been registered as voters within the national territory, and
those living abroad who have been properly registered as voters, may be called
to take part in referenda on major national issues.
2. The decision to call a referendum shall be taken by the President of the
Republic upon the recommendation of the Assembly of the Republic, approved
by an absolute majority of its members and on the initiative of at least one third of
the deputies.
3. The following matters may not be the subject of referenda:
a) Amendments to the Constitution, with the exception of those in article 292
(1);
b) Matters referred to in article 179 (2).
4. If the matters referred to in article 179 (2) are the subject of an international
convention, they may be submitted to a referendum, except where they concern
peace and the changing of boundaries.
5. No referendum shall be called or held during the period between the calling
and the holding of a general election for sovereign public offices.
6. A referendum shall be considered valid and binding only where at least half of
the registered voters have voted in it.
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