Zmiany w realizacji inicjatywy ludowej w Austrii w warunkach pandemii COVID-19

The article is devoted to popular initiative in Austria with reference to actions aimed at preventing COVID-19 from spreading. Due to the emergence of threat in the form of COVID-19, the popular initiative expressed in Article 41(2) of the Constitution of Austria has changed in terms of its meaning. The state of COVID-19 pandemic forced Austrian legislature to change the law, including amendments to the act of 2016 on popular initiative. The popular initiative act was amended in § 24(1) and (2) by introducing certain restrictions on the fulfillment of this initiative. In April 2020, the popular initiative act was amended by suspending the deadlines referred to in § 4(1) and § 6(1), and revoking the already established periods of entry, pursuant to § 6(2). This modification was made with a view to smoothly implement the popular initiative with regard to counteracting COVID-19. Based on these provisions, the implementation of the popular initiative has changed its shape.