Unilateral Sovereignty Referendums by Territorial Autonomies: Motivations and the Case of Gagauzia’s 2014 Referendums
Journal: Nationalities Papers
Year: 2026

Abstract This article focuses on unilateral sovereignty referendums pursued by territorial autonomies. Due to their unilateral character, such referendums are unlikely to gain external recognition and, as a result, fail to effect or prevent any de jure change in sovereignty. However, they are still pursued despite these constraints, suggesting that they serve purposes other than formal changes in sovereignty. To explain this phenomenon, the article proposes a framework of seven potential motivat