The Brexit referendum is a referendum held in the United Kingdom on 23 June

2016 to allow voters to decide whether the United Kingdom should remain a
member of the European Union (EU) or leave the organization. The vote was called
the "Brexit Referendum," short for "British Exit."
In the referendum, voters were asked a simple question: "Do you think the United
Kingdom should remain in or leave the European Union?" Voters were given the
choice of "in" or "out" of the European Union.
The results showed that 51.9 percent of voters supported leaving the EU, while
48.1 percent supported remaining in the European Union. That means Britain has
decided to leave the European Union. The decision has led to a series of political
and economic changes, including negotiations over the details of Brexit, changes in
political leadership, and discussions over the UK's future relationship. Finally, the
United Kingdom officially leaves the European Union in 2020 and enters a
transition period, after which the formal Brexit transition period ends and the new
relationship model takes effect.

Malta held a referendum on 28 November 2011 on whether to allow divorce. The

referendum was on whether to amend the Maltese constitution to allow divorce
under certain conditions. Previously, Malta was the only country in Europe that did
not allow divorce.
The referendum was proposed to change Malta's constitution in order to resolve
disputes in the society regarding divorce. As a result, the referendum passed,
allowing divorce under conditions including that the couple had been separated for
at least four years and that there was no possibility of reconciliation.
The referendum marked a change in the mindset of Maltese society on the issue of
divorce and was part of the development of the country's social and legal system.

Benifits of referendum,applying to the example of UK and Malta:

1.A referendum is a form of direct and pure democracy that gives ordinary citizens
the opportunity to express their will directly on a particular issue. This helps to
enhance the public's sense of participation in political decision-making and brings
the government closer to public opinion.
2. Through referendums, the government is able to understand the public's views
and wishes on a particular issue. This will help the government formulate policies
that are more in line with public opinion and enhance the transparency of decision-
making.
3. Value consensus,most of the people share the same value which contributes to
the stability and harmony in society
4. Knowing that their decisions are likely to cause widespread concern and
controversy among the public, governments are more motivated to formulate and
implement more responsible policies.
Nevertheless,the referendum exists some problems as well:
1. UK’s population is quite ageing,which means a certain amount of the population
is retired.Their results of vote have a big impact of the final result.While the aging
population sometimes cannot follow the latest trend and may let the whole
country fail to follow the right track.
2. Some political parties want to manipulate people’s final decision of vote,for
instance,some opinions think that Some outside forces may have been involved in
manipulating the referendum by disseminating information on social media and
providing financial support to influence the views of the British public.
3. Short-term interests outweigh long-term planning: The outcome of a
referendum can be influenced by short-term emotions and interests, ignoring
complex long-term effects. This can lead to shortsightedness in policy and decision-
making.
4. Some questions are complex,cannot simply answer by ‘yes’or ‘No’The format of
the referendum may force complex issues to be oversimplified, thereby failing to
fully take into account all relevant factors.

Every legal individual has the right to vote and participate in the development of a
country’s democracy.In general, Referendums can promote democracy, increase
government accountability, reduce social divisions, and increase political stability. However, the
use of referendums needs to be weighed carefully to avoid their possible drawbacks