In 1999, a constitutional amendment aimed at introducing a binding referendum failed during the Night of Wiegel.
In 2005, however, a referendum was held on the European Constitution, based on a special law created for that purpose.
However, during the second reading in the Senate, the law failed to secure the required two-thirds majority, in what came to be known as the Night of Wiegel.
To resolve the issue, a compromise was reached: the cabinet would introduce a temporary law for non-binding referendums, which would not require a constitutional amendment and thus avoid the need for a two-thirds majority.
A special law was created to organise a referendum on the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe.
Upon completion of this stage, the provisions concerning entry into force of the law in question were suspended until the procedure has come to an end.
The referendum question was: "Are you for or against the Approval Act of the Association Agreement between the European Union and Ukraine?
[12] During the 2017 cabinet formation, the negotiating parties decided to repeal the Advisory Referendum Act.
In the second reading, it was adopted by the Socialist Party (SP) and rejected in 2017, with GroenLinks, PvdA, and D66 voting against it.
Following the recommendations of the State Commission on the Parliamentary System [nl], the SP again proposed a constitutional amendment.
[13] Because the stumbling block in the last review was the number of required endorsements and the necessary turnout percentage, the SP decided to resubmit the proposal without regulating it in the constitution.
In January 2025, the House of Representatives approved the proposal in the first reading, and it is now awaiting the final step in the Senate.