1991 Soviet Union referendum
A referendum on the future of the Soviet Union was held on 17 March 1991 across the Soviet Union. The question put to voters was Do you consider necessary the preservation of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics as a renewed federation of equal sovereign republics in which the rights and freedom of an individual of any ethnicity will be fully guaranteed? (Russian text: )(Russian transliteration: "Schitayete li Vy neobkhodimym sokhraneniye Soyuza Sovetskikh Sotsialisticheskikh Respublik kak obnovlonnoy federatsii ravnopravnykh suverennykh respublik, v kotoroy budut v polnoy mere garantirovat'sya prava i svobody cheloveka lyuboy natsional'nosti?") The referendum  was made with the aim of approving the Union of Sovereign States. In Kazakhstan, the wording of the referendum was changed by substituting "equal sovereign states" for "equal sovereign republics". In Uzbekistan, Ukraine and Kyrgizia additional questions were asked about sovereignty and independence of these republics. While the vote was boycotted by the authorities in Armenia, Estonia, Georgia (though not the breakaway province of Abkhazia, where the result was over 98% in favour, and in South Ossetia), Latvia, Lithuania, and Moldova (though not Transnistria or Gagauzia), turnout was 80% across the rest of the Soviet Union. The referendum's question  was approved by nearly 80% of voters in all nine other republics that took part. It was the only referendum in the history of the Soviet Union, as the August Coup prevented the formation of the renewed federation, causing the Soviet Union to be dissolved on 26 December 1991. Overview. On December 24, 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. The referendum considered five  questions: On the same day, at the initiative and insistence of General Secretary and President Mikhail Gorbachev, the Congress adopted two decisions on holding a referendum on the private ownership of land  and on the preservation of the Union as a renewed federation of equal sovereign of Soviet Socialist Republics . 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. It said that "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", the Congress of People's Deputies USSR decided: 1. 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 to enact it adopted on the day the Law of the USSR "On the popular vote (Soviet Union referendum)". According to Art. 5 of the Law of the USSR "On the popular vote (Soviet Union referendum)" Law  of the USSR referendum destination belonged 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 – the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. "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" On January 16, 1991 the Supreme Council USSR  decided that to: Results. In republics not participating in the Soviet referendums. 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. 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. Consequently, in these republics, pro-Soviet front-organisations organised voluntary referendums without official sanction. Turnout of voting here was considerably less than 50% of the franchised voters of these countries, but this information was not included in the official statement of the Central Commission of the Referendum of USSR. Additional questions. 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. Kirghizia. 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. Ukraine. 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?" The proposal was approved by 81.7% of voters . Ukraine later held its own referendum on 1 December, in which 92% voted for independence. 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. 88% of the voters in this referendum supported Ukraine's independence. Uzbekistan. 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.