List of active separatist movements in Europe
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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:
- They are active movements with active members.
- 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
- De facto state: Nagorno-Karabakh Republic[1]
Belgium
- Proposed state: Flanders
- Political parties: Lijst Dedecker, Nieuw-Vlaamse Alliantie (EFA member), Vlaams Belang
Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Proposed state: Republika Srpska
- Political parties: Alliance of Independent Social Democrats, Serbian Democratic Party[2]
- Proposed state: Croatian Republic of Herzeg-Bosnia
Croatia
- Secessionist movements
- Autonomist movements
- Istria County
- Political parties: Istrian Democratic Assembly, Istrian Social Democratic Forum
- Proposed autonomous county/region: Istria County
- Joint Council of Municipalities
- Political parties: Independent Democratic Serb Party, Party of Danube Serbs
- Advocacy group: Joint Council of Municipalities part of Serb National Council
- Proposed autonomous municipalities: File:TRPINJA COAT OF ARM.pngTrpinja, File:ERDUT COAT OF ARM.pngErdut, Markušica, File:BOROVO COAT OF ARM.pngBorovo, Croatia, Jagodnjak, File:NEGOSLAVCI COAT OF ARM.pngNegoslavci, Šodolovci which are all members of Joint Council of Municipalities
Cyprus
- De facto state with partial de jure recognition TRNC Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
- Proposed state: Faroe Islands
- Political parties: Republican Party, People's Party, Centre Party, Self-Government Party
Finland
- Proposed state: Åland
- Political party: Future of Åland (EFA member)
France
- Secessionist movements
- Basque Country
- Political party: Abertzaleen Batasuna (AB), Batasuna, Eusko Alkartasuna (EFA member), Parti Nationaliste Basque.
- Advocacy group: All local politicians [citation needed], even those in "French" parties, agree to demand a Basque département and co-officiality of Basque language, a demand that has been rejected by the French government.
- 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: Armée Révolutionnaire Bretonne, Front de Libération de la Bretagne
- 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
- Template:Country data Nizza}
- 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)[clarification needed].
- 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[5][6]
- De facto state: Republic of South Ossetia
Germany
- Bavaria
- Political party: Bavaria Party (EFA member)[7]
- Frisia (see The 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
- Aosta Valley
- Piedmont
- Political parties: Lega Nord Piemont
- Lombardy
- Political parties: Lega Lombarda, Lega Alleanza Lombarda, Lombard Independentist Front
- Insubria
- Advocacy groups: Domà Nunch[8]
- Trentino
- 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
- File:Bandiera Friuli-VG.jpg Friuli-Venezia Giulia
- Political parties : Lega Nord Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Friuli Movement, Giulian Front, Front Furlan
- File:Bandiera Liguria.jpg 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
- File:Bandiera Marche.jpg Marche
- Political parties: Lega Nord Marche
- File:Bandiera Umbria.jpg 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
- Political parties: Movement for Autonomy, Federalist Alliance, Lega Sud Ausonia, Southern Action League
Lithuania
(with neighbouring Latvia, northernmost Belarus and westernmost Russia).
Macedonia
- Illyrida
- Political party: Democratic Party of Albanians
- Status: Continued unrest within Albanian-majority areas of Macedonia[9]
Moldova
- Transnistria
- Status: De facto state: Transnistria[10]
Netherlands
- Frisia
- Political party: Frisian National Party, (EFA member)
- Status: Democratic movement seeking greater autonomy for Frisian-speaking people in Fryslân[11]
Norway
Poland
- Upper Silesia
- Political party: Silesian Autonomy Movement[12]
Romania
- File:Szekely.gif Székely Land: Székely autonomy initiatives
- Political organisation: Szekler National Council[13]
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,[14] criticising Russian attempts to make a "North Caucasus" district[14] inviting back separatist leader Akhmad Zakayev,[15]
- 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 Oblast, and Stavropol' Oblast)
- 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
- 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)
Serbia
- Republic of Kosovo (member of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization)
- de facto state: Republic of Kosovo
- Political parties: Democratic League of Kosovo, Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, Democratic Party of Kosovo, National Movement for the Liberation of Kosovo, The People's Movement for Kosovo
- Militant organisation: Kosovo Liberation Army (became Kosovo Protection Corps)
- Vojvodina; proposed larger level of Autonomy
- Political parties: The League of Vojvodina Social Democrats
- Northern Vojvodina; proposed autonomous region: Hungarian Regional Autonomy
- Sandžak; proposed Autonomy[16]
- Preševo Valley; proposed Autonomy[17]
Spain
- Basque Country (Autonomous Community of Basque Country 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)
- Trade union: Euskal Langileen Alkartasuna, Langile Abertzaleen Batzordeak
- Youth Advocacy groups: EGI, Gazte Abertzaleak, Iratzarri, Segi
- Militant organisation: Euskadi Ta Askatasuna (ETA)
- Proposed state: Euskal Herria (Basque Country)
- Political parties:
- Catalonia (Catalan independentism), the Valencian Community and the Balearic Islands
- 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.
- Political parties (based in the Valencian Community): Esquerra Republicana del País Valencià, Bloc Nacionalista Valencià.
- Political parties (based in the Balearic Islands): Partit Socialista de Mallorca-Entesa Nacionalista (in Majorca), Entesa de l’Esquerra de Menorca (in Menorca).
- Political parties (autonomist): Convergència Democràtica de Catalunya, Unió Democràtica de Catalunya (in Catalonia only); Unió Mallorquina (in Majorca only).
- 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
- Main article: Galician nationalism
- 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: Aragón
- 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 Asturies
- Proposed flag: Asturina
- Cantabria
- Political party: Conceju Nacionaliegu Cántabru
- Youth movement: Regüelta (Revolt)
- Trade union: Intersindical Cántabra
- Proposed state: Cantabria
- Proposed flag: Lábaro
- Castile
- 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
- Main article: Castilian nationalism
- 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
- Scania Political or cultural organisation: Stiftelsen Skånsk Framtid (Scanian Future Foundation) (member of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization)[18]
Switzerland
- Internal secessionism
- Jura[19]
- Political party: Mouvement Indépendantiste Jurassien (Jurassian Independentist Movement)[1], Mouvement Autonomiste Jurassien(Jurassian Autonomist Movement), Groupe Bélier (Youth activists movement)
Turkey
- Proposed state: Kurdistan[20]
- 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)
- File:Rusyn flag.png Carpathian Ruthenia: Congress of Carpathian Ruthenians
United Kingdom and Crown Dependencies
- 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, Cornish Solidarity, Revived Cornish Stannary Parliament, Tyr Gwyr Gweryn[21][22]
- Proposed state: England
- Political parties: One England, English Radical Alliance, England First Party[23]
- Advocacy groups: English National Liberation Association[24]
- Proposed autonomous area: England
- Political parties: English Democrats Party, UKIP[25]
- Advocacy groups: Campaign for an English Parliament
- Proposed state: Gibraltar
- Political party: Progressive Democratic Party
- Proposed state: Isle of Man
- Political parties: Mec Vannin, Liberal Vannin
- Advocacy groups: Celtic League
- Proposed autonomous area: Isle of Wight
- Political party: Vectis National Party
- Proposed state: Ulster
- Political parties: Ulster Third Way
- 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
- Proposed autonomous area: Northumberland
- Advocacy groups: Regional activist groups, but the Northumbria autonomous movement is moribund and are pro-unionist (to separate from England).
- Proposed state: Scotland
- Political parties: Scottish National Party (EFA member), Scottish Green Party, Scottish Socialist Party, Scottish Democratic Alliance (irridentist in regards to Berwick-upon-Tweed),[27] Solidarity
- Proposed state: Crown Dependency of Forvik
- Proposed autonomous area: Shetland
- 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
- Proposed autonomous area: Wessex
- Political parties: Wessex Regionalist Party[32]
- Advocacy group: Wessex Constitutional Convention
- Proposed autonomous area: Yorkshire
- Advocacy group: Yorkshire Ridings Society
See also
References
- ^ "Nagorno Karabagh Republic: History and Current Reality". Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. Retrieved 10 April 2009.
- ^ Armed Peacekeepers in Bosnia. DIANE Publishing. 2004. p. 122. ISBN 1428910204.
- ^ Maxmilián Strmiska. "Rise and Fall of Moravian Regionalist Parties". The International Institute of Political Science. Retrieved 10 April 2009.
- ^ a b c "Sámi fly their flag in Helsinki". thisisFINLAND.
- ^ "Russia's Javakhk Diaspora demands autonomous region status for Samtskhe-Javakhk". Times.am. Retrieved 28 February 2010.
- ^ "US State Department and Javakhk: The WikiLeaks Cables Part I". Asbarez. Retrieved 9 September 2011.
- ^ "Bayernpartei". Bayernpartei. Retrieved 10 April 2009.
- ^ "Domà Nunch Official website".
- ^ "Grueski victorious in violence-marred Macedonia polls". B92. 2 June 2008. Retrieved 12 April 2009.
- ^ "The Transnistria "Republic" and illegal arms export". EuropeFront. Retrieved 12 April 2009.
- ^ "FNP program for the Provincial Elections 2007". Frisian National Party. Retrieved 12 April 2009.
- ^ "Silesian Autonomy Movement". Silesian Autonomy Movement. Retrieved 10 April 2009.
- ^ "Szekler National Council website". Szekler National Council. Retrieved 12 April 2009.
- ^ a b DMITRY SHLAPENTOKH (3 December 2009). "The Kremlin's renegade puppet in Chechnya". The Japan Times.
- ^ Shlapentokh, Dmitry (3 December 2009). "?". The Scotsman. Edinburgh. Retrieved 11 August 2010.
- ^ http://www.novosti.rs/vesti/naslovna/aktuelno.69.html:331099-Zukorlic-Autonomija-Sandzaka-sve-izvesnija
- ^ http://www.mondo.rs/v2/tekst.php?vest=79742
- ^ "Scania". UNPO. Retrieved 10 April 2009.
- ^ Farimah Daftary, Stefan Troebst (2003), Radical ethnic movements in contemporary Europe, p. 192
- ^ Pike, John (21 May 2004). "Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK)". Federation of American Scientists. Retrieved 23 July 2008.
- ^ "Cornish Nation".
- ^ Professor Mark Stoyle, The Cornish: A Neglected Nation? 17 February 2011
- ^ Brief Manifesto, England First Party website. Retrieved 13 April 2010.
- ^ English National Liberation Association / English Republicans
- ^ Section 5: Solutions -Economic, Legal and Political Measures Restoring Britishness: UKIP Policy, UK Independence Party. Retrieved 6 April 2010.
- ^ Pierce, Andrew (19 April 2007). "Guernsey to discuss severing link with UK". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 8 May 2010.
- ^ Scotland's National Borders, Scottish Democratic Alliance. Retrieved 8 April 2010.
- ^ Shetland Independent Newsletter
- ^ Shetland and Orkney Udal Law group
- ^ Shetland Conversation
- ^ Crown Dependency of Forvik
- ^ "UK Electoral Commission". Government of UK. Retrieved September 2011.
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