2017 South Ossetian name change referendum
{{Short description|none}}
{{infobox referendum
|title=Do you agree with the amendment of part 1 of article 1 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Ossetia, setting it out as follows:
The Republic of South Ossetia - the State of Alania - is a sovereign democratic legal state created as a result of the self-determination of the people of the Republic of South Ossetia.
Names Republic South Ossetia and the State of Alania are equivalent.
|date={{start date|2017|04|09|df=yes}}
|country=South Ossetia
|yes=25,123
|no=6,466
|invalid=1,842
|electorate=41,814
}}
{{Politics of South Ossetia}}
A referendum on changing the territory's name was held in South Ossetia on 9 April 2017, alongside presidential elections.[http://www.civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=29783 Tskhinvali Sets Date for Presidential Polls] Civil, 18 January 2017 It was approved by 79.53%. The constitution will be amended to denominate the formal name of the country from "Republic of South Ossetia" to "Republic of South Ossetia–the State of Alania", referencing Alania, a state built by the Alan people.{{cite news|url=http://www.rferl.org/a/caucasus-report-south-ossetia-referendum-name-change/28298590.html|title=South Ossetia Referendum On Name Change Steers Clear Of Thornier Unification Issue|last=Fuller|first=Liz|date=8 February 2017|publisher=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty|access-date=19 March 2017}} Modern Ossetians are descended from the Alans, although the name Ossetian is of Georgian origin (although the Georgian root word {{Wikt-lang|ka|ოსი}} is itself from an Alanic autonym).
Background
In a move towards integration with the Russian Federation, South Ossetian President Leonid Tibilov proposed in December 2015 a name change to "South Ossetia–Alania", in analogy with "North Ossetia–Alania", a Russian federal subject. Tibilov furthermore suggested holding a referendum on joining the Russian Federation prior to April 2017, which would lead to a united "Ossetia–Alania".{{cite news |title=Breakaway Tskhinvali proposes name change|url=http://agenda.ge/news/49405/eng |work=Agenda.ge |date=December 29, 2015 |accessdate=2015-12-29}} In April 2016, Tibilov said he intended to hold the referendum before August of that year.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-18269210 |title=South Ossetia profile – BBC News |publisher=Bbc.com |date=2016-04-21 |accessdate=2016-06-12}}{{Cite web|url=http://tass.ru/en/world/868630|title=President: South Ossetia plans to hold referendum on becoming part of Russia before August|website=TASS|access-date=2016-04-24}} However, on 30 May, Tibilov postponed the referendum until after the presidential election due in April 2017.{{Cite news|url=http://www.rferl.org/content/georgia-russia-south-ossetia-accession-referendum-delay/27766068.html|title=South Ossetia Postpones Referendum On Accession To Russian Federation|last=Fuller|first=Liz|date=2016-05-30|newspaper=RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty|language=English|access-date=2016-05-30}}
Results
{{Referendum results
|for=25123
|against=6466
|invalid=1842
|electorate=41814
|source=[https://web.archive.org/web/20170413153224/http://ugo-osetia.ru/index.php/2011-06-30-23-44-4/documents/item/8191-o-rezultatakh-golosovaniya-po-referendumu-respubliki-yuzhnaya-osetiya South Osetia]
}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{South Ossetian elections}}