Los promotores anuncian el retiro del referéndum: 'Esto no significa que no nos opongamos a la ley'

Organizers of a proposed referendum opposing a new law restricting the voting rights of foreign residents in Slovenia have announced they will withdraw their initiative, according to local media reports. The decision comes amid ongoing legal and political debates surrounding the law, which was passed by parliament earlier this year. The organizers, including cultural groups such as Kulturovno društvo Gmajna, Kulturni center Danilo Kiš, and Albanian Cultural Association AKD Liria, had planned to collect signatures for the referendum starting September 1, with a deadline of October 5. However, after discussions during the summer, the group has decided to abandon the effort before the vote takes place. The withdrawal allows opposition parties, Gibanje Svoboda, SD, and Levica, to pursue constitutional review and temporary suspension of the law through the Constitutional Court. The law has yet to be published in the official gazette, meaning the opposition has not been able to formally challenge it thus far. If the law were published, the opposition could file a request for constitutional review within the following week, once the law becomes effective. According to reports, the organizers of the referendum appear to believe they have a stronger chance of success through the Constitutional Court rather than relying on public support. Some concerns have been raised about whether the required number of signatures can even be collected, given recent surveys suggesting public skepticism toward the initiative. If the court grants a temporary suspension of the law, it would mean that elections in November would still take place under the old rules, allowing non-citizens with permanent residency to continue voting as they did previously. A separate issue remains unresolved regarding a consultative referendum on the same topic scheduled for October 11, alongside two other referendums. Earlier this week, the National Assembly approved the consultative referendum, despite warnings from legal experts and the parliamentary legal service that such a referendum on a matter already decided by parliament is unconstitutional. The legal service noted that holding a consultative referendum on the voting rights of foreigners would conflict with existing laws on referendums and citizen initiatives. The opposition has not yet reached consensus on whether to challenge the decision to hold the consultative referendum before the Constitutional Court. While Levica and SD have clearly expressed support for such a challenge, Gibanje Svoboda remains hesitant. Without at least 19 of its 29 MPs signing the petition, the party cannot proceed with a formal request to the Constitutional Court. The law, passed by parliament in mid-June, removes the right to vote from non-citizens who hold a permanent residence permit and have registered a permanent address in Slovenia. It was supported by the SDS, the three-party alliance NSi, SLS, and Fokus, as well as the Resnica and Demokrati parties. Opposition came from Gibanje Svoboda, SD, Levica, and Vesna. The change has drawn criticism from several non-governmental organizations representing foreign residents in Slovenia, who argue that the law undermines the political rights of individuals who have lived and contributed to Slovenian society for years. More than 20 NGOs have signed a statement opposing the changes, emphasizing that these individuals work, pay taxes, raise children, and contribute to local communities. Human rights watchdogs have also raised concerns about the law's compatibility with the Council of Europe Convention on the Participation of Foreigners in Local Public Life. They argue that the law contradicts the spirit and intent of the convention, which aims to ensure that all residents, regardless of nationality, have a voice in local governance. The debate continues as both supporters and opponents of the law prepare for potential legal challenges ahead.