Many political leaders like the idea of having a referendum - as long as they are the ones who have decided all the important rules around this "citizens' decision". Political science defines such a referendum as a "plebiscite", controlled (and possibly even manipulated) from the top.
At the same time many political leaders hate referendums if they are not the one who has decided the date, the question and the rules around the vote. And if in the end they are even forced to learn that ...
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