The referendum as an instrument has been used increasingly in many parts of the world. It can contribute to strenghtening democratic culture within a polity. Yet, as Jan Velaers demonstrated masterfully, history learns that context weighs heavily in assessing specific manifestations of this concept. A referendum can be a tool of domination in specific circumstances, serving other purposes than those publicly admitted to. The present contribution uses the Belgian case of the "Royal referendum" to illustrate this. The introduction of the possibility of a popular consultation at regional level has given direct democracy a more prominent constitutional entrenchment than before. Research in political science teaches us that authoritarian instrumentalisation is less to fear than use for political parties' own ends. Two out of three regions seem not in a hurry to define the practical conditions of the instrument. We will have to observe and learn from the first experiments in the Walloon Region.