List of active separatist movements in Europe

This is a list of currently active separatist movements in Europe. Separatism includes autonomism and secessionism. What is and is not considered an autonomist or secessionist movement is sometimes contentious. Entries on this list must meet two criteria:

1. They are active movements with active members.
2. They are seeking greater autonomy or self-determination for a geographic region (as opposed to personal autonomy).

Under each region listed is one or more of the following:

• De facto state (de facto entity): for unrecognized regions with de facto autonomy
• Proposed state: proposed name for a seceding sovereign state
• Proposed autonomous area: for movements towards greater autonomy for an area but not outright secession
  • De facto autonomous government: for governments with de facto autonomous control over a region
  • Government-in-exile: for a government based outside of the region in question, with or without control
  • Political party (or parties): for political parties involved in a political system to push for autonomy or secession
  • Militant organisation(s): for armed organisations (sometimes called terrorist organisations)
  • Advocacy group(s): for non-belligerent, non-politically participatory entities

Various ethnic groups in Europe are seeking greater autonomy or independence. In the European Union (EU), several of these groups are members of the European Free Alliance (EFA). In some cases, the group seeks union with a neighbouring country.

Azerbaijan

• Nagorno-Karabakh
  • De facto state: Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
  • Government-in-exile: Azerbaijan — Azerbaijani Community of Nagorno-Karabakh

Belgium

Further information: Partition of Belgium

• Flemish Region
  • Proposed state: Flanders
    • Political parties: Lijst Dedecker, Nieuw-Vlaamse Alliantie (EFA member), Vlaams Belang
• Walloon Region
  • Proposed state: Wallonia France

Bosnia and Herzegovina

• Republika Srpska
  • Proposed state: Republika Srpska
    • Political parties: Alliance of Independent Social Democrats, Serbian Democratic Party
• Herzeg-Bosnia
  • Proposed state: Croatian Republic of Herzeg-Bosnia
    • Political parties: Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatian Democratic Union 1990, Croatian Christian Democratic Union
• AP Western Bosnia
  • Proposed state: AP Western Bosnia
    • Political parties: Democratic People's Community

Croatia

Secessionist movements

• 
  Republic of Serbian Krajina
  • Advocacy groups: Republic of Serbian Krajina Government in Exile

Autonomist movements

• 
  Istria County
  • Political parties: Istrian Democratic Assembly, Istrian Social Democratic Forum
  • Proposed autonomous county/region: Istria County

Cyprus

• De facto state with partial de jure recognition: TRNC Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

Czech Republic

• Moravia
  • Political parties: Moravané (EFA member)

Denmark

• Faroe Islands
  • Proposed state: Faroe Islands
    • Political parties: Republican Party, People's Party, Centre Party, Self-Government Party

Finland

• Åland
  • Proposed state: Åland
    • Political party: Future of Åland (EFA member)
• Sami
  • Proposed autonomous region: Sápmi

France

Some of the claimed nations and/or regions - 1. Brittany, 2. France proper (excluding Flanders), 3. Occitania, 4. Lorraine which is sometimes part of France proper, 5. Alsace, 6. Basque Country, 7. Catalonia and 8. Corsica.

Secessionist movements

• Basque Country
  Further information: Basque nationalism
  • Political party: Abertzaleen Batasuna (AB), Batasuna, Eusko Alkartasuna (EFA member), Parti Nationaliste Basque.
  • Trade union: Euskal Langileen Alkartasuna, Langile Abertzaleen Batzordeak
  • Youth Advocacy groups: Egi, Gazte Abertzaleak, Iritzarri, Segi
  • Militant organisation: Iparretarrak (defunct), ETA, Irrintzi
  • Proposed state: Euskadi or Euskal Herria (Basque Country)
• Brittany
  • Advocacy groups: Celtic League
  • Political party: Adsav, Emgann
  • Militant organisation: Breton Revolutionary Army (ARB), Breton Liberation Front (FLB)
  • Proposed state: Brittany
• Corsica (Main article: Corsican nationalism)
  • Political party: Corsica Libera
  • Militant organisation: National Front for the Liberation of Corsica
  • Proposed state: Corsica or Italy
• 
  Nice
  • Political party: Nissa Rebela
• Savoy
  • Political party: Savoyard League

Gradual and eventual secession

• Brittany
  • Political party: Breton Party

Autonomist movements

• Alsace
  • Political party: Alsace d'Abord, Nationalforum Elsass-Lothringen, Unser Land
• Brittany
  • Political party: Union Démocratique Bretonne (EFA member),
• Corsica (Main article: Corsican nationalism)
  • Political party: Partitu di a Nazione Corsa (EFA member)
  • Proposed autonomous area: Corsica
• Countea de Nissa
  • Political party: Nissa Rebela
• Normandy
  • Political party: Le Mouvement Normand
  • Proposed region: Normandie (to merge the two regions of Basse-Normandie and Haute-Normandie opposed by Norman activists).
• Savoy
  • Political party: Savoyard League
• Occitania
  • Political party: Partit de la Nacion Occitana, Partit Occitan (EFA member), Iniciativa per Occitània, Anaram au Patac, Hartèra

Rearrangement of regions

• Picardie (region), activists are the Picard people. The French government regional committee had planned to subdivide the region and give each one of the 3 departements to neighbouring regions of Champagne-Ardenne, Ile-de-France and Nord Pas-de-Calais. The Picard people are divided on this proposal.^{[citation needed]}
• Several regions want to be divided into newer ones, notably in the Midi-Pyrenees and Alpes-Cote de Azur.^{[citation needed]}

Georgia

• 
  Abkhazia (member of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization)
  • De facto state: Republic of Abkhazia
• Armenians in Samtskhe-Javakheti
  • Proposed autonomous area: Javakhk autonomous region
    • Advocacy groups: Javakhk, United Javakhk Democratic Alliance, Virk
• South Ossetia
  • De facto state: Republic of South Ossetia

Germany

• Bavaria
  • Political party: Bavaria Party (EFA member)
• Frisia (see Netherlands)
• Lower Saxony, Baden-Württemberg, Saarland and East Germany (the former German Democratic Republic 1949-90) - autonomous movements to expand sovereign powers as Länder or states, in agreement when they joined Prussia (1815 or 1870) and/or Federal Republic of Germany (1955 or 1990).^{[citation needed]}

Italy

• Padania
  • Proposed state: Padania
  • Political parties: Lega Nord
• Aosta Valley
  • Political parties: Valdotanian Union, Edelweiss Aosta Valley, Autonomist Federation, Valdotanian Renewal, Lively Aosta Valley, Lega Nord Valle d'Aosta
• Piedmont
  • Political parties: Lega Nord Piemont
• Lombardy
  • Political parties: Lega Lombarda, Lega Alleanza Lombarda, Lombard Independentist Front
• Insubria
  • Advocacy groups: Domà Nunch
• Trentino
  • Political parties: Union for Trentino, Lega Nord Trentino, Trentino Tyrolean Autonomist Party, Autonomist Trentino, Ladin Autonomist Union, United Valleys, Popular Autonomy, Fassa
• South Tyrol
  • Political parties: South Tyrolean People's Party, Union for South Tyrol, The Libertarians, South Tyrolean Freedom, Political Movement Ladins, Democratic Party of South Tyrol, Lega Nord Sud Tirolo
  • Militant organisations: South Tyrolean Liberation Committee
• Veneto
  • Movement: Venetism
  • Political parties: Liga Veneta, North-East Project, Liga Veneta Repubblica, Venetians in Movement, Venetian National Party, Venetian People's Unity, Veneto State
• Friuli-Venezia Giulia
  • Political parties : Lega Nord Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Friuli Movement, Giulian Front, Front Furlan
• Liguria
  • Political party: Lega Nord Liguria, Ligurian Independentist Movement
• Emilia
  • Political parties: Lega Nord Emilia
• Romagna
  • Political parties: Lega Nord Romagna
• Tuscany
  • Political parties: Lega Nord Toscana
• Marche
  • Political parties: Lega Nord Marche
• Umbria
  • Political parties: Lega Nord Umbria
• Sardinia
  • Political parties: Sardinia Nation, Sardinian Action Party, Independence Republic of Sardinia, To the Left for Independence
• Sicily
  • Political parties: Movement for the Independence of Sicily, Sicilian Alliance, Sicilian People's Party, Sicilian National Front
  • Advocacy groups: Terra e Liberazione
• Southern Italy

Further information: Southern Italy autonomist movements

• Political parties: Movement for Autonomy, Federalist Alliance, Lega Sud Ausonia, Southern Action League

Lithuania

• Samogitia
  • Political party: Samogitian Party
• 
  Latgalia (with neighbouring Latvia, northernmost Belarus and westernmost Russia).
  • Political party: Latgalian People's Party^{[citation needed]}

Macedonia

• Illyrida
  • Political party: Democratic Party of Albanians
  • Status: Continued unrest within Albanian-majority areas of Macedonia

Moldova

• Transnistria
  • Status: De facto state
• Gagauzia
  • Status: autonomy region state

Montenegro

• Sandžak
  • Proposed state: Sandžak (merging with Serbian part of Sandžak)
    • Political parties: Party of Democratic Action
• Bay of Kotor — Kotor
• Ulcinj
• Serbs of Montenegro
  • Herceg Novi
  • Pljevlja

Netherlands

• Frisia
  • Political party: Frisian National Party, (EFA member)
  • Status: Democratic movement seeking greater autonomy for Frisian-speaking people in Fryslân

Norway

• Sami
  • Proposed autonomous region: Sápmi

Poland

• Upper Silesia
  • Political party: Silesian Autonomy Movement

Portugal

• Madeira
  • Political party: FLAMA Frente de Libertação do Arquipélago da Madeira (extinct)
  • Political party:Partido Democrático do Atlântico
• Azores
  • Political party: Partido Democrático do Atlântico

Romania

• Székely Land: Székely autonomy initiatives
  • Political organisation: Szekler National Council

Russia

North Caucasus

• Adygea^{[citation needed]}
• Chechnya
  • Militant organisation: Chechen separatists; though recently Ramzan Kadyrov, the Russian-appointed leader of the Chechen Republic within Russia has also made statements seeming to support broad autonomy, criticising Russian attempts to make a "North Caucasus" district inviting back separatist leader Akhmad Zakayev,
  • Proposed state: Chechen Republic of Ichkeria
• Dagestan
• Ingushetia
• Kabardino-Balkaria
• Karachay-Cherkessia
• North Ossetia-Alania^{[citation needed]}
• Chechnya, Dagestan, Ingushetia
  • Proposed state: Caucasian Emirate (claimed successor to Ichkeria)
• Circassia
  • Movement: Circassian Congress; Circassian Youth Initiative; Adyge Djegi
  • Proposed state: Circassia, including all regions historically included in Circassia and/or inhabited by Circassians (note: this includes Adygea as well as large parts of Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachey-Cherkessia, Krasnodar Krai, and Stavropol' Krai)
• Balkar and Karachay peoples
  • Movement: Various nationalist organisations in Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay–Cherkessia
  • Goals: Firstmost, the establishment of autonomy for the Karachai and Balkars, rather than in biethnic republics where they must share power with Russians and Circassians (division of Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachay–Cherkessia into smaller units, also popular for Circassian nationalists). Then, the unification of Karachay and Balkar units is advocated by some but not all nationalists (see Balkar and Karachai nationalism)

Other regions

• Tatarstan
  • Political party: All-Tatar Public Center
  • Proposed state: Tatarstan, Idel-Ural
• Kalmykia
• Udmurtia
  • Movement: the Udmurt Counsel [sic] is a member of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization
  • Proposed state: Udmurtia
• Siberia

See also: Siberian regionalism

• East Prussia
  • Proposed state: East Prussia (comprises Kaliningrad Oblast)
• Karelia
  • Proposed state: East Karelia or reunification with North Karelia and South Karelia and the formation of united Karelia
• Ingria
  • Proposed state: Ingria (comprises Saint Petersburg and Leningrad Oblast)
• Chuvashia
  • Proposed state: Chuvashia
• Komi Republic
  • Proposed state: Komi Republic
• Mari El
  • Proposed state: Mari El
• Mordovia
  • Proposed state: Mordovia
• Bashkortostan
  • Proposed state: Bashkortostan

Serbia

• Vojvodina; proposed larger level of Autonomy
  • Political parties: The League of Vojvodina Social Democrats, Reformists of Vojvodina, Vojvodina's Party
• Northern Vojvodina; proposed autonomous region: Hungarian Regional Autonomy
  • Political parties: Democratic Party of Vojvodina Hungarians, Democratic Community of Vojvodina Hungarians, Hungarian Civic Alliance, Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians; see also Hungarians in Vojvodina
• Sandžak
  • Proposed state: Sandžak (merging with Montenegro's part of Sandžak)
    • Political parties: Party of Democratic Action
• Preševo Valley
• Kosovo

Spain

See also: Nationalisms and regionalisms of Spain

Areas in Spain with separatist movements.

• Basque Country (autonomous community) and Navarre (Main article: Basque nationalism)
  • Political parties: Partido Nacionalista Vasco (member of the European Democratic Party), Eusko Alkartasuna (EFA member), Aralar, Nafarroa Bai, Basque Nationalist Action, Batasuna (illegalised due to terrorism support), Bildu
  • Trade union: Euskal Langileen Alkartasuna, Langile Abertzaleen Batzordeak
  • Youth Advocacy groups: EGI, Gazte Abertzaleak, Iratzarri, Segi
  • Militant organisation: Euskadi Ta Askatasuna (ETA) (disbanded)
  • Proposed state: Basque Country (greater region) – Euskal Herria
• Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and the Valencian Community, known alternatively as Valencian Country (Main articles: Catalan independentism, Catalan nationalism and Valencian nationalism)
  • Civil Organization: Sobirania i Progrés, Plataforma pel Dret de Decidir, Cercle d'Estudis Sobiranistes, Deu Mil en Xarxa per l'Autodeterminació.
  • Advocacy groups: Catalunya Acció, Free Catalonia, Moviment de Defensa de la Terra, Reagrupament.
  • Youth Advocacy groups: Maulets, Coordinadora d'Assemblees de Joves de l'Esquerra Independentista, Joventuts d'Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya, Endavant, Sindicat d'Estudiants dels Països Catalans, Joventut Nacionalista de Catalunya, Negres Tempestes.
  • Political parties (pro-Catalan Countries): Candidatura d'Unitat Popular (in the Catalan Countries), Esquerra Republicana de Catalunya (in Catalonia, Balearic Islands, and Northern Catalonia; called Esquerra Republicana del País Valencià in the Valencian Community) (EFA member), Estat Català (only based in Catalonia), Solidaritat Catalana per la Independència, Democràcia Catalana.
  • Political parties (based in the Balearic Islands): Partit Socialista de Mallorca-Entesa Nacionalista (in Majorca), Entesa de l'Esquerra de Menorca (in Minorca).
  • Political parties (based in the Valencian Community): Esquerra Republicana del País Valencià, Bloc Nacionalista Valencià, Coalició Compromís.
  • Political parties (autonomist): Convergència Democràtica de Catalunya, Unió Democràtica de Catalunya (in Catalonia only); Unió Mallorquina (in Majorca only).
  • Proposed state: Catalan Countries – Països Catalans (Valencian nationalists propose either a dependent state within the Catalan Countries, or a separate state).
  • Proposed flag: Estelada
• Galicia (Main article: Galician nationalism)
  • Political party: Bloque Nacionalista Galego (Galician Nationalist Block) (autonomist) (EFA member), NÓS-Unidade Popular (WE-Popular Unity) (independentist), Frente Popular Galego (Galician Popular Front) (independentist), Partido Galeguista (The Galician Party), Terra Galega Galician Coalition (Centrist nationalist Party)
  • Youth Advocacy groups: Galiza Nova, AGIR, CAF
  • Militant organisation: Resistência Galega
  • Proposed state: Galician Republic
• Andalusia (Main article: Andalusian nationalism)
  • Political parties (autonomist): Partido Andalucista, Partido Socialista Andaluz, Bloque Andaluz de Izquierdas, Partido Comunista del Pueblo Andaluz
  • Political parties (secessionist): Nación Andaluza, Asamblea Nacional de Andalucia
  • Youth movement: Jaleo!!!, Juventudes Andalucistas
  • Proposed state: Andalusia
• Aragon
  • Political party (autonomist): Chunta Aragonesista (EFA member)
  • Political party (secessionist): Estau Aragonés, Tierra Aragonesa
  • Advocacy groups: Puyalón
  • Youth movement: Astral, Chobenalla Aragonesista, A Enrestida
  • Proposed state: Aragon
• Asturias (Main article: Asturian nationalism)
  • Political parties (autonomist): Partíu Asturianista, URAS
  • Political parties (secessionist): Unidá Nacionalista Asturiana (EFA member), Bloque por Asturies, Andecha Astur
  • Youth movements: Darréu, UNA-Mocedá , Fai!
  • Trade Unions: CSI, SUATEA, Frenti Estudiantil d'Asturies
  • Other pro-independence organisations: Sofitu
  • Proposed state: Socialist Republic of Asturias
  • Proposed flag: Asturina
• Cantabria
  • Political party: Conceju Nacionaliegu Cántabru
  • Youth movement: Regüelta (Revolt)
  • Trade union: Intersindical Cántabra
  • Proposed state: Cantabria
  • Proposed flag: Lábaro
• Canary Islands (Main article: Canarian nationalism)
  • Political parties: Coalición Canaria
  • Proposed state: Canary Islands
• Castile (Main article: Castilian nationalism)
  • Political parties (autonomist): Tierra Comunera
  • Political parties (secessionist): Izquierda Castellana, Movimiento Popular Castellano,
  • Youth movement: YESCA
  • Proposed state: Castile
  • Proposed flag: Pendón Morado, Pendón Estrellado
• León
  • Political parties: Unión del Pueblo Leonés (UPL or Leonese People's Union), Partido Regionalista del País Leonés (PREPAL), Unión del Pueblo Salmantino (UPS), Partido Carlista del Reino de León (PC)
  • Proposed state: País Llïonés - Leonese Country (Conceyu Xoven)
  • Proposed autonomous region: Comunidad Autónoma de León - Autonomous Community of León (UPL, PREPAL, UPS, PC)
  • Civil organisations: Ciudadanos del Reino de Leon (CCRRLL), Ciudadanos Zamoranos (CCZZ)
  • Youth movements: Conceyu Xoven (Young Council)
  • Principal Article: Leonese regionalist movement

Sweden

• Sami
  • Proposed autonomous region: Sápmi
• Scania
  • Political party: Scania Party

Switzerland

Internal secessionism

• Jura
  • Political party: Mouvement Indépendantiste Jurassien (Jurassian Independentist Movement), Mouvement Autonomiste Jurassien(Jurassian Autonomist Movement), Groupe Bélier (Youth activists movement)

Turkey

• 
  Kurdish people
  • Proposed state: Kurdistan
    • Political party: Peace and Democracy Party (BDP)
    • Militant organisation: Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK)

Ukraine

• Crimea (the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People is a member of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization)
• Carpathian Ruthenia: Congress of Carpathian Ruthenians

United Kingdom and Crown Dependencies

The United Kingdom, Crown Dependencies and Republic of Ireland (click to enlarge)

• Cornwall

See also: Cornish nationalism, Constitutional status of Cornwall, Cornish Assembly, English independence, English nationalism, Irish nationalism, Irish republicanism, Ulster loyalism, and Ulster nationalism

• Proposed state: Cornwall
  • Political party: Cornish National Party
  • Militant organisation: Cornish National Liberation Army
• Proposed autonomous area: Cornwall
  • Political parties: Mebyon Kernow – Party for Cornwall (EFA member), Cornish Green Party
  • Advocacy groups: Cornish Constitutional Convention, Cornwall 2000, Revived Cornish Stannary Parliament, Tyr Gwyr Gweryn

• England

• Proposed state: England
  • Political parties: One England, English Radical Alliance, England First Party
  • Advocacy groups: English National Liberation Association
• Proposed autonomous area: England
  • Political parties: English Democrats Party, UKIP
  • Advocacy groups: Campaign for an English Parliament

• Gibraltar
  • Proposed state: Gibraltar
    • Political party: Progressive Democratic Party
• Guernsey
  • Proposed state: Guernsey
• Isle of Man
  • Proposed state: Isle of Man
    • Political parties: Mec Vannin, Liberal Vannin
    • Advocacy groups: Celtic League
• Northern Ireland

• Proposed state: Ulster
  • Militant organisations: Some elements within the Ulster Defence Association
• Proposed state: Ireland
  • Political parties: Sinn Féin, Social Democratic and Labour Party, Republican Sinn Féin, Irish Republican Socialist Party
  • Militant organisations: Irish Republican Armies
  • Advocacy group: Celtic League

• Scotland

Further information: Scottish independence

• Proposed state: Scotland
  • Political parties: Scottish National Party (EFA member), Scottish Green Party, Scottish Socialist Party, Communist Party of Scotland, Scottish Democratic Alliance (irridentist in regards to Berwick-upon-Tweed), Solidarity

• Wales

Further information: Welsh independence

• Proposed state: Wales
  • Political parties: Plaid Cymru (EFA member), Forward Wales, Wales Green Party, Llais Gwynedd, Cymru Annibynnol
  • Militant organisations: Free Wales Army, Mudiad Amddiffyn Cymru, Meibion Glyndwr
  • Advocacy groups: Cymuned, Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg, Celtic League

• Wessex
  • Proposed autonomous area: Wessex
    • Political parties: Wessex Regionalist Party
    • Advocacy group: Wessex Constitutional Convention
• Yorkshire
  • Proposed autonomous area: Yorkshire
    • Advocacy group: Yorkshire Ridings Society

See also

• Lists of active separatist movements
• List of historical separatist movements
• Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization
• List of micro-regional organizations

Notes and references

Notes:

a.	^ Kosovo is the subject of a territorial dispute between the Republic of Serbia and the self-proclaimed Republic of Kosovo. The latter declared independence on 17 February 2008, while Serbia claims it as part of its own sovereign territory. Its independence is recognised by 88 UN member states.

References: