Referendums and popular consultations
Not every constitutional vote is an independence referendum, and votes differ in question, electorate and legal effect. Each record keeps those differences explicit.
| Vote | Date | Jurisdiction | Legal character | Cases |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bougainville referendum, 2019 | 23 November – 7 December 2019 | Autonomous Region of Bougainville, Papua New Guinea | Consultative | Bougainville |
| Catalan independence referendum of 1 October 2017“Do you want Catalonia to be an independent state in the form of a republic?” | 1 October 2017 | Catalonia | Legal status contested | Catalonia |
| Kurdistan Region independence referendum, 2017“Do you agree to the independence of the Kurdistan region and the Kurdistani areas (disputed areas) outside the administration of the region,...” | 25 September 2017 | Kurdistan Region of Iraq and some disputed areas outside it | Legal status contested | Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Kurdish self-determination |
| Scottish independence referendum, 2014“Should Scotland be an independent country?” | 18 September 2014 | Scotland | Consultative | Scotland |
| Welsh law-making powers referendum, 2011“Do you want the Assembly now to be able to make laws on all matters in the 20 subject areas it has powers for?” | 3 March 2011 | Wales | Legally binding | Wales |
| Southern Sudan independence referendum, 2011“Whether Southern Sudan should remain united with Sudan under the system of government established by the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, or s...” | 9 January 2011 – 15 January 2011 | Southern Sudan (with polling also in northern Sudan and eight out-of-country locations) | Legally binding | South Sudan |
| Greenland self-government referendum, 2008 | 25 November 2008 | Greenland | Consultative | Greenland |
| Montenegro referendum on state-status, 2006“Do you want the Republic of Montenegro to be an independent state with full international and legal personality?” | 21 May 2006 | Republic of Montenegro | Legally binding | Montenegro |
| East Timor popular consultation, 1999“Do you accept the proposed special autonomy for East Timor within the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia? (ACCEPT) — or — Do you rej...” | 30 August 1999 | East Timor | Legally binding | Timor-Leste |
| Quebec referendum, 1995“Do you agree that Québec should become sovereign, after having made a formal offer to Canada for a new Economic and Political Partnership, w...” | 30 October 1995 | Quebec | Consultative | Quebec |
| Eritrean independence referendum, 1993“Do you approve that Eritrea should become an independent sovereign State?” | 23 April 1993 – 25 April 1993 | Eritrea | Legally binding | Eritrea |
| Quebec referendum on the Charlottetown agreement, 1992“Do you agree that the Constitution of Canada should be renewed on the basis of the agreement reached on August 28, 1992?” | 26 October 1992 | Quebec | Consultative | Quebec |
| Quebec referendum, 1980“The Government of Québec has made public its proposal to negotiate a new agreement with the rest of Canada, based on the equality of nations...” | 20 May 1980 | Quebec | Consultative | Quebec |