1991 Soviet Union referendum

The following question was asked:

On 24 December 1990, deputies of the 4th Congress of People's Deputies, having voted by name, decided to consider it necessary to preserve the USSR as a renewed federation of equal sovereign republics, which will be fully ensured human rights and freedoms of any nationality.Постановление СНД СССР от 24 декабря 1990 года № 1853-1 «О сохранении Союза ССР как обновлённой федерации равноправных суверенных республик» // Ведомости СНД и ВС СССР. — 1990. — № 52. — ст. 1158. The referendum considered five questions:

• Do you consider it necessary to preserve the USSR as a renewed federation of equal sovereign republics, which will be fully ensured of human rights and freedoms of any nationality? (Yes/No)
• Do you consider it necessary to preserve the USSR as a single state? (Yes/No)
• Do you consider it necessary to preserve the socialist system in the USSR? (Yes/No)
• Do you consider it necessary to preserve the Soviet government in the renewed Union?{{clarify|date=March 2021}} (Yes/No)
• Do you feel the need to safeguard the Union in the renewed human rights and freedoms of any nationality?{{clarify|date=March 2021}} (Yes/No) (Any legal or legislative consequences, in case of acceptance of, or otherwise, was not specified)

On the same day, at the initiative and insistence of General Secretary and President Mikhail Gorbachev,Любарев А. Е. [http://lyubarev.narod.ru/elect/book/soderzh.html Выборы в Москве: опыт двенадцати лет. 1989—2000] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201110235833/http://lyubarev.narod.ru/elect/book/soderzh.html |date=10 November 2020 }}. — М.: Стольный град, 2001. — 412 с. — {{ISBN|5-89910-019-2}}.Съездом было принято два постановления о проведении референдумов по вопросу о частной собственности на землю the Congress adopted two decisions on holding a referendum on the private ownership of land [6] and on the preservation of the Union as a renewed federation of equal sovereign of Soviet Socialist Republics [7]. For the adoption of the first resolution voted in 1553 deputies, against - 84, abstained - 70. For the adoption of the second resolution voted in 1677 deputies, against - 32, abstained - 66.

However, concerning the first decision the Chairman YH Kalmykov later explained at a session of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR Supreme Council Committee for Legislation, the president asked to refrain from holding a referendum on the issue of private property.

Second course was given to the decree. The first was No. 1856-1 "On holding a referendum of the USSR on the issue of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics", dated 24 December 1990:

[...] due to numerous appeals of workers expressed concern about the fate of the USSR, and given that the preservation of a single union state is the most important issue of public life, affects the interests of each person, all the Soviet Union's population,Постановление СНД СССР от 24 декабря 1990 года № 1856-1 «О проведении референдума СССР по вопросу о Союзе Советских Социалистических Республик» // Ведомости СНД и ВС СССР. — 1990. — № 52. — ст. 1161. the Congress of People's Deputies USSR decided:

1. To conduct a referendum of the USSR to address the issue of maintaining the Union as a renewed federation of equal sovereign Soviet Socialist Republics, taking into account the results of voting for each country separately.
2. To instruct the USSR Supreme Council set a date for the referendum and ensure its measures.

–Resolution of the USSR from LICs December 24, 1990 No. 1856-1

On 27 December 1990, Congress of People's Deputies of the USSR decided enact the law "On the popular vote (Soviet Union referendum)", effective immediately. Article 5 of the Law specifies that the right to call a referendum belongs to the Congress of People's Deputies of the USSR, and on matters not related to the exclusive jurisdiction of the USSR Congress of People's Deputies, in the period between congresses – to the Supreme Soviet of the USSR.Закон СССР от 27 декабря 1990 года № 1869-1 «О всенародном голосовании (референдуме СССР)» // Ведомости СНД и ВС СССР. — 1991. — № 1. — ст. 10.

On 16 January 1991 the Supreme Council of USSR published Resolution 1910-1 "On the organization and measures to ensure the holding of a referendum of the USSR on the issue of preserving the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics".

Based on the fact that no one, except the people can not take the historical responsibility for the fate of the USSR, pursuant to the decision of the fourth Congress of People's Deputies of the USSR in accordance with the law on the referendum of the USSR. [...] The Supreme Council decides to:

1. Carry out the entire territory of the Soviet Union on Sunday, 17 March 1991, for the Soviet Union referendum on the preservation of the Soviet Union as a federation of equal republics.
2. Turn on the ballot for secret voting the following wording of the question put to referendum, and the answers of voting:
3. :"Do you consider it necessary to preserve the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics as a renewed federation of equal sovereign republics, which will fully guarantee the rights and freedoms of all nationalities."
4. :"Yes or no".
5. To determine the results of voting by the Union Soviet Socialist Republic as a whole, taking into account the results of voting for each country separately.

–Resolution of the USSR Supreme Soviet of 16 January 1991 № 1910-1Постановление ВС СССР от 16 января 1991 года № 1910-1 «Об организации и мерах по обеспечению проведения референдума СССР по вопросу о сохранении Союза Советских Социалистических Республик» // Ведомости СНД и ВС СССР. 1991. — № 4. — ст. 87.

{{Referendum results

|for=113512812

|against=32303977

|invalid=2757817

|electorate=185647355

|source=Nohlen & StöverDieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p1647 {{ISBN|978-3-8329-5609-7}}

}}

{{Missing information|section|much of the data on subdivisions of the SSRs|date=February 2025}}

An official referendum had been held in Estonia on 3 March 1991 on whether to restore the Estonian republic that had been occupied by the Soviet Union in 1940. The result was 77.8% in favour of restoring the Estonian republic.{{cite web |url=http://www.riigikogu.ee/index.php?id=34582 |title=Chronology |date=6 September 2012 }} Latvia also held an official referendum on 3 March 1991, when the overwhelming majority voted to restore the independent Latvian republic. Lithuania had held a referendum on 9 February 1991, in which 93% of voters had approved independence.

Georgia was to hold its own independence referendum two weeks later, and Armenia on 21 September. In both cases, 99.5% of voters approved of the declarations of independence.

Consequently, in these republics, pro-Soviet front-organisations organised voluntary referendums without official sanction.Об итогах референдума СССР, состоявшегося 17 марта 1991 года (Из сообщения Центральной комиссии референдума СССР) // Известия. — 1991. — 27 марта.{{in lang|ru}} [http://www.vremyababurin.narod.ru/Num5_2001/N5_2001.html Воля, которую мы потеряли... "Время" № 5. 16 марта 2001 года] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110919222122/http://www.vremyababurin.narod.ru/Num5_2001/N5_2001.html |date=19 September 2011 }} Turnout of voting here was considerably less than 50% of the franchised voters of these countries{{fact|date=September 2023}}, but this information was not included in the official statement of the Central Commission of the Referendum of USSR.{{in lang|ru}}[https://archive.today/20120710231411/http://new.hse.ru/sites/tp/isakov/1990-1996dn/71/1/%D0%A1%D0%BE%D0%BE%D0%B1%D1%89%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%B5%20%D0%BE%D0%B1%20%D0%B8%D1%82%D0%BE%D0%B3%D0%B0%D1%85%20%D1%80%D0%B5%D1%84%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B4%D1%83%D0%BC%D0%B0%20%D0%A1%D0%A1%D0%A1%D0%A0%2017%20%D0%BC%D0%B0%D1%80%D1%82%D0%B0%201991%20%D0%B3%D0%BE%D0%B4%D0%B0.htm Сообщение Центральной комиссии референдума СССР об итогах референдума СССР, состоявшегося 17 марта 1991 года] // Правда. — 1991. — 27 марта.

In several of the republics, additional questions were added to the ballot. In Russia, an additional question was asked on whether an elective post of the president of Russia should be created. In Kirghizia, Ukraine and Uzbekistan the additional question was on the sovereignty of their republics as part of a new union.

In Kirghizia, voters were also asked "Do you agree that the Republic of Kirghizistan should be in the renewed Union as a sovereign republic with equal rights?" It was approved by 62.2% of voters, although turnout was lower at 81.7%, compared to 92.9% in the Union-wide referendum.Nohlen et al., p443

{{Referendum results

|forpct=62.2

|againstpct=37.8

|source=Nohlen et al.

}}

{{Main|1991 Ukrainian sovereignty referendum}}

In Ukraine, voters were also asked "Do you agree that Ukraine should be part of a Union of Soviet sovereign states on the basis on the Declaration of State Sovereignty of Ukraine?"Nohlen & Stöver, p1985 The proposal was approved by 81.7% of voters. Ukraine later held its own referendum on 1 December, in which 92% voted for independence.

{{Referendum results

|for=25224687

|against=5655701

|invalid=584703

|electorate=37689767

|source=Nohlen & Stöver

}}

At the same day a referendum in the Galician provinces Ivano-Frankivsk, Lviv, and Ternopil asked the three regions of the USSR about the creation of independent state of Ukraine.[https://books.google.com/books?id=Y06eqVKtfQgC&dq=Referendum+of+Galicia+1991&pg=PA134 Dissolution: Sovereignty and the Breakup of the Soviet Union]{{Dead link|date=February 2019|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}} by Edward W. Walker, Rowman & Littlefield, 2003, {{ISBN|0742524523}} (134)[https://books.google.com/books?id=zo9t6NS-YCwC&dq=Ivano-Frankivsk%2C+Lviv%2C+and+Ternopil+march+1991&pg=PA3 The Ukrainian West: Culture and the Fate of Empire in Soviet Lviv] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230124204127/https://books.google.com/books?id=zo9t6NS-YCwC&pg=PA3&lpg=PA3&dq=Ivano-Frankivsk,+Lviv,+and+Ternopil+march+1991&source=bl&ots=JB5dG4uq0c&sig=6Fsz3xPYJV8JYGAPoVg5oc2G-x4&hl=nl&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi33MOY3MbLAhVDRg8KHXh0D3sQ6AEIIDAC#v=onepage&q=Ivano-Frankivsk%2C%20Lviv%2C%20and%20Ternopil%20march%201991&f=false|date=24 January 2023}} by William Jay Risch, Harvard University Press, 2011, {{ISBN|0674050010}}, (page 4) 88% of the voters in this referendum supported Ukraine's independence.[https://books.google.com/books?id=71YxBgAAQBAJ&dq=Referendum+of+Galicia+1991&pg=PA101 Cleft Countries: Regional Political Divisions and Cultures in Post-Soviet Ukraine and Moldova (Soviet and Post-Soviet Politics and Society 33)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230124204127/https://books.google.com/books?id=71YxBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA101&lpg=PA101&dq=Referendum+of+Galicia+1991&source=bl&ots=x3s4X3uLps&sig=dMAgZL8XdgWzAc6MHeelj5F50tE&hl=nl&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjA0ubH18bLAhXBew8KHZlMDx8Q6AEIIjAC#v=onepage&q=Referendum%20of%20Galicia%201991&f=false|date=24 January 2023}} by Ivan Katchanovski, 2006, {{ISBN|389821558X}} (page 40)

In Uzbekistan, voters were also asked "Do you agree that Uzbekistan should remain part of a renewed Union (federation) as a sovereign republic with equal rights?" It was approved by 94.9% of voters, with a turnout of 95.5%. On 29 December 98% of Uzbeks would vote for full independence.

{{Referendum results

|forpct=94.9

|againstpct=5.1

|invalid=

|totalvotes=9824304

|electorate=10287938

|source=Nohlen et al.

}}

{{expand section|date=April 2024}}

For further reading on subsequent events:

• {{multi-section link|Dissolution of the Soviet Union|1990|Western republics}}
• August Coup

{{Portal|Soviet Union|Politics}}

• Dissolution of the Soviet Union

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• {{Wikiquote-inline|Soviet Union}}

{{Soviet elections}}

{{Kyrgyzstani elections}}

{{Ukrainian elections}}

{{Uzbekistani elections}}

{{1991 Independence of Ukraine}}

Soviet Union

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Category:Dissolution of the Soviet Union

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Category:March 1991 in the Soviet Union

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