--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Referendums are a democratic instrument…" description: "\"Referendums are a democratic instrument, but so are decisions reached in a parliamentary democracy. I advise extreme caution when it comes to referendu..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/244/martin-schulz-2953_advise_referendums-are-a-democratic-instrument_1046033.jpg" --- # Referendums are a democratic instrument, but so are… ![“Referendums are a democratic instrument, but so are decisions reached in a parliamentary democracy. I advise extreme caution when it comes to referendums. In Germany too.” quote by Martin Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/244/martin-schulz-2953_advise_referendums-are-a-democratic-instrument_1046033.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/244/martin-schulz-2953_advise_referendums-are-a-democratic-instrument_1046033.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/244/martin-schulz-2953_advise_referendums-are-a-democratic-instrument_1046033.jpg) > “Referendums are a democratic instrument, but so are decisions reached in a parliamentary democracy. I advise extreme caution when it comes to referendums. In Germany too.” [Martin Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-schulz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Referendums can empower citizens but also risk populist swings; parliamentary decisions offer deliberation and expertise. **In simple terms:** Referendums are risky; parliaments are more stable. Key Takeaway Balance direct and representative democracy. Themes democracy political processes citizen participation Mood cautious analytical Type political advisory When to use this quote - elections - policy making - public consultations - constitutional reform Key Concepts populism deliberative governance legitimacy Questions to Reflect On - How can we safeguard minority rights in referendums? - What safeguards improve parliamentary decision‑making? A Different Perspective Referendums may oversimplify complex issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Advise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advise/) [Caution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caution/) [Comes Referendums](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comes-referendums-2473949/) [Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Democratic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democratic/) [Extremes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extremes/) [Germany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/germany/) [Instruments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instruments/) [Parliamentary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parliamentary/) [Parliamentary democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parliamentary-democracy/) [Referendums](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/referendums/) [Referendums Democratic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/referendums-democratic-2473947/) [Referendums Germany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/referendums-germany-2473948/) ## Related quotes > [No matter how many troops we have in place or how long they stay, we cannot impose a parliamentary democracy there any more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-clooney/no-matter-how-many-troops-we-have-in-place-or-how-long-they-stay-we/) [Nick Clooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-clooney/) > [I might be popular, but that is not sufficient in a parliamentary democracy set-up. 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