Independence referendum

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

An independence referendum is a type of referendum in which the citizens of a territory decide whether the territory should become an independent country. The independence referendum is considered successful if the citizens vote in favor of independence or unsuccessful if they do not. A successful independence referendum may or may not result in independence, depending on whether relevant political factors outside of the territory recognize the results.

Past successful independence referendums

1846

Liberian independence referendum – led to the independence of Liberia in 1847

1945

Cambodian referendum – led to the independence of Cambodia in 1953

1958

Guinean constitutional referendum – led to the independence of Guinea

1961

Samoan referendum – led to the independence of Samoa in 1962

1962

Algerian independence referendum led to the independence of Algeria in the same year.

1964

Maltese constitutional referendum – led to the independence of Malta
Southern Rhodesian independence referendum – led to de facto independence of Rhodesia in 1965

1970

Bahraini independence survey – led to the independence of Bahrain in 1971

1977

Afars and Issas independence referendum – led to the independence of Djibouti

1983

Micronesian Compact of Free Association referendum – led to the independence of the Federated States of Micronesia in 1986

1990

Slovenian independence referendum – led to the independence of Slovenia in 1991

1991

Armenian independence referendum – led to the independence of Armenia
Azerbaijani independence referendum – led to the independence of Azerbaijan
Croatian independence referendum – led to the independence of Croatia
Estonian independence referendum – led to the independence of Estonia
Georgian independence referendum – led to the independence of Georgia
Latvian independence and democracy poll – led to the independence of Latvia
Lithuanian independence referendum – led to the independence of Lithuania
Macedonian independence referendum – led to the independence of the Republic of Macedonia in 1993
Nagorno-Karabakh independence referendum – led to the de facto independence of Nagorno-Karabakh
Ukraine independence referendum – led to the independence of Ukraine
Transnistrian independence referendum – led to the de facto independence of Transnistria
Turkmenistani independence referendum – led to the independence of Turkmenistan
Uzbekistani independence election – led to the independence of Uzbekistan

1992

Bosnia and Herzegovina independence referendum – led to the independence of Bosnia and Herzegovina
South Ossetian independence referendum – led to the de facto independence of South Ossetia

1993

Eritrean independence referendum – led to the independence of Eritrea

1994

Moldovan status referendum – the issue was whether Moldova should retain its independent status

1999

East Timor independence referendum – organised by the United Nations, led to the independence of East Timor in 2002

2005

Kurdistan independence referendum – consultative referendum; 98.8% support for independence

2006

Montenegrin independence referendum – a successful independence referendum that reestablished the independent country of Montenegro
South Ossetian independence referendum – the issue was whether South Ossetia should retain its de facto independent status
Transnistrian independence referendum – the issue was whether Transnistria should retain its de facto independent status

2009

Tamil Eelam independence referendums – held within Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora communities in Norway, France, Canada, Switzerland, Germany and the Netherlands; overwhelming support for Tamil Eelam's independence

2011

South Sudanese independence referendum – led to the independence of South Sudan^[2]

Past unsuccessful independence referendums

Western Australian secession referendum – a majority voted in favour of leaving the Commonwealth of Australia, but the result was ignored by the British Parliament
Faroese independence referendum – although a majority voted in favour and the Islands declared independence, the declaration was annulled by Denmark
1967, 1993, 1998 and 2012 Puerto Rico political status plebiscites – unsuccessful
1969 West Papuan Act of Free Choice – unsuccessful, flawed
1973 Northern Ireland sovereignty referendum – unsuccessful, boycotted by separatists
1977 Aruban independence referendum had a majority in favour of independence, but plans for full independence were scrapped in 1994
1980 and 1995 Quebec independence referendums – unsuccessful
1987 New Caledonian independence referendum – unsuccessful
1991 Kosovan independence referendum – result unrecognised
1992 Montenegrin independence referendum – unsuccessful
1995 Bermudan independence referendum – unsuccessful
1998 Nevis independence referendum – unsuccessful
2008 Basque referendum – prevented by Spain, cancelled

Expected independence referendums

Scottish independence referendum, to take place on 18 September 2014
Catalonian independence referendum, to take place on 9 November 2014
New Caledonian independence referendum (envisioned by Nouméa Accord, 1998), to be held between 2014 and 2019
Bougainville independence referendum (envisioned by Peace Agreement, 2000), to be held between 2015 and 2020^[3]

Plausible independence referendums

Ambazonia – With the ruling by the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights in 2009, Southern Cameroons is recognized as a distinct people "automatically entitled to all the other rights which are built into Article 20 (1-2) of the African Charter, which include the inalienable and unquestionable right to self-determination".^[4]
Anguilla - The Prime Minister has expressed a desire for independence from Great Britain.^[5]
Faroe Islands - An Independence referendum could be held after the current Unionist government holds elections sometime in 2015.
Greenland – The Inuit Ataqatigiit-led separatist government has repeatedly expressed the need for full political independence from Denmark. With Greenland having gained more autonomy beginning with the home rule referendum in 1979 and the self-government referendum in 2008, some campaigners have touted the year 2021 (the 300th anniversary of Danish colonial rule) as a date for potential independence.^[6]
Quebec – The sovereigntist Parti Québécois regained power in the 2012 Quebec election after more than nine years in the opposition. As a minority government, it will not hold a referendum during this term. The latest national poll showed that only 32% of Québécois would vote for independence.^[7] Quebec Premier Pauline Marois announced that a large campaign to promote sovereignty is slated to take place in the upcoming months.^[8]
Veneto – Venetian Independence and Plebiscite 2013 have been proposing a referendum over independence of Veneto from Italy. After the Regional Council of Veneto approved a resolution on self-determination (with an explicit reference to a referendum) in November 2012,^[9]^[10] a referendum bill was proposed in April 2013.^[11] According to it, a referendum would take place in early 2014.^[12] See also Venetian nationalism#Recent developments.
Western Sahara – An independence referendum, proposed by MINURSO, may take place sometime.^{[citation needed]}