Independence referendum

Independence referendum is a type of referendum in which citizens of one territory would decide whether this territory should become independent country. The independence referendum could be successful (i.e. if the citizens vote in favour of independence) or could be unsuccessful (i.e. if the citizens vote against independence). The successful independence referendum could or could not result in independence for mentioned territory, depending of whether relevant political factors outside of this territory would or would not recognize its results.

Former successful independence referendums

1946

• 1946 Faroese referendum - after this referendum, the Faroe Islands declared independence on 18 September 1946; however, this declaration was annulled by Denmark.

1990

• 1990 Slovenian independence referendum, led to independence of Slovenia.

1991

• 1991 Croatian independence referendum, led to independence of Croatia.
• 1991 Macedonian independence referendum, led to independence of the Republic of Macedonia.
• 1991 Ukraine independence referendum, led to independence of Ukraine.
• Georgian independence referendum, 1991, led to independence of Georgia.
• Transnistrian referendum, 1991, led to de-facto independence of Transnistria.

1992

• 1992 Bosnian independence referendum, led to independence of Bosnia and Herzegovina and to Bosnian war.
• South Ossetian independence referendum, 1992, led to de-facto independence of South Ossetia.

1994

• Moldovan referendum, 1994 - the issue was whether Moldova should retain its independent status.

1999

• 1999 East Timor referendum, UN organised referendum led eventually to acceptance of East Timor independence.

2006

• Montenegrin independence referendum, 2006, a successful independence referendum that reestablished independent country of Montenegro.
• South Ossetian independence referendum, 2006 - the issue was whether South Ossetia should retain its de-facto independent status.
• Transnistrian referendum, 2006 - the issue was whether Transnistria should retain its de-facto independent status.

Former unsuccessful independence referendums

• 1967, 1993, 1998 Puerto Rico status referenda, unsuccessful.
• 1980 Quebec referendum, unsuccessful.
• Montenegrin independence referendum, 1992, unsuccessful.
• 1995 Quebec referendum, unsuccessful.

Expected independence referendums

• Western Sahara independence referendum (proposed by Baker Plan)
• Scottish independence referendum (expected in 2010 - parties supporting a referendum now command 96 seats of 129 in the Scottish Parliament)[2]
• Southern Sudan independence referendum (expected in 2012)
• Bougainville independence referendum (predicted by Peace Agreement from 2000)
• New Caledonia independence referendum (expected after 2014)
• Basque Country independence referendum (two rounds) announced by Basque Country's President Juan José Ibarretxe. The first referendum would be on October 25, 2008, and the second referendum in 2010.

Plausible future referendums

• Catalonia - Catalonia's Vice President Carod-Rovira proposed a referendum around 2014. Several independentist groups also promote a referendum around 2014 or even earlier.
• Quebec - Given the results of the 2007 Quebec election, the likelihood of another referendum in Quebec has diminished. The separatist Parti Québécois finished third behind a federalist party and an autonomist party.
• Republika Srpska - The Prime Minister of Republika Srpska Milorad Dodik brought the idea of an independence referendum for RS into public debate when Montenegro seceded from the union with Serbia in an independence referendum on May 21, 2006. In an interview published in the Serbian media, Dodik said a referendum on independence for RS was a fair solution and that 99 percent of Bosnian Serbs support secession from Bosnia-Herzegovina. Dodik stated that this referendum is "inevitable" since Bosnia and Herzegovina has no viable future.

See also

• Referendum
• Independence