High-level Albanian delegation explores Swiss experience with referendums during OSCE Presence-supported visit

To explore and learn from Switzerland’s long-lasting and consolidated experience on referendums, citizens initiatives and direct democracy framework, the OSCE Presence in Albania supported a comparative assessment visit of a high-level Albanian delegation to Bern on 8 and 9 June 2026. 

The delegation - composed of Members of Parliament, Central Election Commission members and Constitutional Court representatives - held meetings with the Federal Parliament, the Federal Chancellery, the Chancellor of the Canton of Bern and representatives of the local Referendum Committee, as well as leading academic experts on referendums. 

The participants had first-hand insights into the design and implementation of direct democracy mechanisms and discussed practical case studies on recent referendum processes at both federal and cantonal levels. Exchanging perspectives on referendums’ validity thresholds, regulatory legal framework, initiating procedures, inter-institutional coordination, access to media, campaigning rules and complaint mechanisms were among the topics covered by the meetings. 

By combining institutional perspectives, practical examples and expert analysis, the visit provided a great opportunity to identify good practices that may be adapted to the Albanian context while fostering stronger co-operation between Albanian and Swiss institutions working to strengthen democratic participation and citizen involvement in public decision-making.

The event was organized under the OSCE Presence’s project “Support to electoral reform and processes in Albania”, which is supported by Sweden, Switzerland, the U.S. Mission to the OSCE and Poland.