Norwegian union dissolution referendum, 1905

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Post card urging people to vote yes to the dissolution of the Union.
Post card urging people to vote yes to the dissolution of the Union.

The plebiscite to dissolve the union with Sweden took place on August 13, 1905. The question put to the voters (only men had suffrage in Norway at the time) was whether they approved of the "already completed dissolution of the union" («den stedfundne Opløsning af Unionen»). The wording of the question was carefully considered, to make it clear that the Norwegian parliament considered the union to be out of force, whereas the Swedish government insisted that it could only be dissolved upon mutual consent.

The Storting had announced the plebiscite on July 28 in anticipation of a Swedish demand for it, thereby avoiding the appearance that the Norwegians had given in to a Swedish demand.

The result of the plebiscite was a total of 368,208 in favor of the dissolution, 184 opposed. There was 85.4% participation in the vote.

Although women did not have a vote, Norwegian suffragists started a campaign to collect signatures in favor of the dissolution and were able to present 244,765 in favor of the dissolution within two weeks.

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