FAQ on Inclusive Voting Procedures > What is a Preferendum? > Is the preferendum suitable for all decision-making situations?
No. If the subject matter is non-contentious, then by all means use a majority vote. On controversial topics, however, and especially on those occasions when someone(s) object(s) to the use of a majority vote, then it is better to use a preferendum.
What’s more, some questions are two-optional, and on such occasions a for-or-against majority vote is indeed ok . In politics, as in life itself, however, most questions are actually multi-optional – if, that is, the question is asked correctly! “Capital punishment, yes-or-no?” is the wrong question; the better way is to ask, “How shall we deal with the convicted murderer?”
In general, then, the only questions which are definitely yes-or-no apply to situations when a country is joining an existing organisation, as when Bulgaria, for example, joins the eu .
Interestingly enough, the only country ever to hold a referendum on what might appear to be a two-option question – “Which side of the road shall we drive on?” – actually had three options on the ballot paper. Sweden, 1955.Last updated on September 19, 2008 by Deborda
