Faroese independence referendum, 1946

Faroe Islands
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the Faroe Islands

An independence referendum was held in the Faroe Islands on 14 September 1946.

Results

Faroese independence referendum, 1946
Location Faroe Islands, Kingdom of Denmark
Date 14 September 1946 (1946-09-14)
Results
I. Proposal of the Danish government (self-rule within Denmark)
 
 47.2%
II. Secession between Faroe Islands and Denmark
 
 48.7%
Invalid or blank votes
 
 4.1%


Island Continued union with Denmark Secession from Denmark Invalid votes Total Vote Turnout
Norðoyar 398 28.1% 954 67.3% 65 4.6% 1,417 2,220 63.8%
Eysturoy 1,372 54.4% 1,051 41.6% 101 4.0% 2,524 3,854 65.5%
Norðurstreymoy 544 45.2% 621 51.6% 38 3.2% 1,203 1,679 71.6%
Vágar 434 40.0% 616 56.7% 36 3.3% 1,086 1,485 73.1%
Suðurstreymoy 673 31.7% 1,309 61.7% 138 6.5% 2,120 3,323 63.8%
Sandoy 286 36.5% 465 59.4% 32 4.1% 783 1,053 74.4%
Suðuroy 1,783 71.6% 640 25.7% 68 2.7% 2,491 3,602 69,2%
Total 5,490 47.2% 5,656 48.7% 478 4.1% 11,624 17,216 67.5%
Results by island:
  For Union
  For Secession

Aftermath

The result – without taking the invalid votes into regard – was 50.73% in favor of full independence to 49.27% in favour of self-rule within Denmark.[1]

However, there were 4.1 % invalid votes, mostly voters who rejected both proposals. The People's Party had suggested there be a third option on the ballot, autonomy or sovereignty within a union with Denmark, but since this proposal was not put on the ballot, the party suggested that voters write 'no' on the ballot instead of choosing either alternative.

Subsequently there was disunion about the interpretation of the result, as there was no full majority for either proposal; only a slight plurality for option 2, the full independence.

The chairman of the Lagting subsequently declared independence on 18 September 1946, but this was not recognised neither by a majority of the Lagting or the Danish parliament and government. King Christian X of Denmark dissolved the Faroese Løgting on 24 September and called for new elections.[2][3] The dissolution of the Løgting was on 8 November followed by the Faroese parliamentary election of 1946 in which the parties in favour of full independence received a total of 5,396 votes while the parties against received a total of 7,488 votes.[4] New negotiations followed, and Denmark granted the Faroe Islands home-rule on 30 March 1948.[2]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Faroe Islands, 14 September 1946: Status Direct Democracy (in German)
  2. 1 2 Faeroe Islands World Statesman
  3. ↑ Steining, Jørgen (1953). "Rigsdagen og Færøerne". In Bomholt, Jul.; Fabricius, Knud; Hjelholt, Holger; Mackeprang, M.; Møller Andr. (eds.). Den danske rigsdag 1849-1949 bind VI (in Danish). Copenhagen: J. H. Schultz Forlag. p. 187.
  4. ↑ Steining, p. 188.
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