1991 Soviet Union referendum
A referendum on the future of the Soviet Union was held on 17 March 1991 across the Soviet Union. It was the only national referendum in the Soviet Union, although it was boycotted by authorities in six of the fifteen Soviet republics.
The referendum asked whether to approve a new Union Treaty among the republics, to replace the 1922 treaty that created the USSR. The question put to most 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?
In Kazakhstan, the wording of the referendum was changed by substituting "equal sovereign states" for "equal sovereign republics".
In Uzbekistan, Ukraine and Kirghizia additional questions were asked about sovereignty and independence of these republics.
While the vote was boycotted by the authorities in Armenia, Estonia, Georgia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Moldova, 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. However, the August coup attempt by hardliners of the Communist Party prevented the anticipated signing of the New Union Treaty that was due to take place the next day. Although it failed, the coup attempt reduced confidence in Gorbachev's central government. It was followed by a series of referendums for independence in individual republics and led to the dissolution of the Soviet Union on 26 December 1991.
Question
The following question was asked:| English | Russian | Ukrainian | Belarusian | Uzbek | Kazakh | Georgian | Azerbaijani | Lithuanian | "Moldavian" | Latvian | Kirghiz | Tajik | Armenian | Turkmen | Estonian |
| Do you consider it necessary to preserve the USSR as a renewed federation of equal sovereign republics, which will be fully ensured of human rights and freedoms of any nationality? | Считаете ли Вы необходимым сохранение Союза Советских Социалистических Республик как обновлённой федерации равноправных суверенных республик, в которой будут в полной мере гарантироваться права и свободы человека любой национальности? | Чи вважаєте ви за необхідне збереження Союзу Радянських Соціалістичних Республік як оновленої федерації рівноправних суверенних республік, у якій будуть повною мірою гарантуватися права і свободи людини будь-якої національності? | Ці лічыце вы неабходным захаванне СССР як абноўленай федэрацыі раўнапраўных суверэнных рэспублік, у якой будуць поўнасцю забяспечаны правы і свабоды чалавека любой нацыянальнасці? | Сиз СССРни ҳар қандай миллатнинг инсон ҳуқуқлари ва эркинликлари тўлиқ таъминланадиган тенг ҳуқуқли суверен республикаларнинг янгиланган федерацияси сифатида сақлаб қолишни зарур деб ҳисоблайсизми? | Кез келген ұлттың адам құқықтары мен бостандықтары толық қамтамасыз етілетін тең құқылы егеменді республикалардың жаңарған федерациясы ретінде КСРО-ны сақтау қажет деп санайсыз ба? | თვლით თუ არა საჭიროდ სსრკ-ს შენარჩუნებას, როგორც თანაბარი სუვერენული რესპუბლიკების განახლებულ ფედერაციას, რომელიც სრულად იქნება უზრუნველყოფილი ნებისმიერი ეროვნების ადამიანის უფლებათა და თავისუფლებებით? | Истанилан миллатин инсан ҳүқуқ ва азадлықларыны там тамин эдаcак барабарҳүқуқлу суверен республикаларын јениланмиш федерасиясы кими ССРИ-ни қоруюб сахламағы зарури ҳесаб эдирсинизми? | Ar manote, kad būtina išsaugoti SSRS kaip atnaujintą lygių suverenių respublikų federaciją, kuriai bus visiškai užtikrintos bet kurios tautybės žmogaus teisės ir laisvės? | Консидераци че есте нечесарэ пэстрареа УРСС ка о федерацие реынноитэ де републичи суверане эгале, каре ва фи пе деплин асигуратэ де дрептуриле ши либертэциле омулуи де ориче националитате? | Vai uzskatāt par nepieciešamu saglabāt PSRS kā atjaunotu vienlīdzīgu suverēnu republiku federāciju, kurai tiks pilnībā nodrošinātas jebkuras tautības cilvēktiesības un brīvības? | Кандай гана улут болбосун адамдын укуктары жана эркиндиктери толук камсыз кылынуучу тец укуктуу суверендуу республикалардын жацыланган федерациясы катары СССРди сактап калуу зарыл деп эсептейсизби? | Оё шумо зарур мешуморед, ки СССР хамчун федерацияи навшудаи республикахои сохибихтиёри баробархукук нигох дошта шавад, ки он хукуку озодихои инсони хар миллат пурра таъмин карда мешавад? | Անհրաժե՞շտ եք համարում պահպանել ԽՍՀՄ-ը որպես իրավահավասար ինքնիշխան հանրապետությունների նորացված դաշնություն, որը լիովին կապահովվի ցանկացած ազգության մարդու իրավունքներով և ազատություններով? | Адам ҳукуклары ве ислендик миллетиң азатлыклары билен долы үпжүн эдилжек деңҳукуклы республикаларың тәзеленен федерациясы ҳөкмүнде СССР-и горап сакламагы зерур ҳасаплаярсыңызмы? | Kas peate vajalikuks säilitada NSV Liit kui võrdväärsete suveräänsete vabariikide uuendatud föderatsioon, millele on täielikult tagatud mis tahes rahvusest inimõigused ja vabadused? |
Overview
On 24 December 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:- Do you consider it necessary to preserve the USSR as a renewed federation of equal sovereign republics, which will be fully ensured of human rights and freedoms of any nationality?
- Do you consider it necessary to preserve the USSR as a single state?
- Do you consider it necessary to preserve the socialist system in the USSR?
- Do you consider it necessary to preserve the Soviet government in the renewed Union?
- Do you feel the need to safeguard the Union in the renewed human rights and freedoms of any nationality?
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. The first was No. 1856-1 "On holding a referendum of the USSR on the issue of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics", dated 24 December 1990:
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:-Resolution of the USSR from LICs December 24, 1990 No. 1856-1
- To 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.
- To instruct the USSR Supreme Council set a date for the referendum and ensure its measures.
On 27 December 1990, Congress of People's Deputies of the USSR decided enact the law "On the popular vote ", effective immediately. Article 5 of the Law specifies that the right to call a referendum belongs 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 – to the Supreme Soviet of the USSR.
On 16 January 1991 the Supreme Council of USSR published Resolution 1910-1 "On the organization and measures to ensure the holding of a referendum of the USSR on the issue of preserving the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics".
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. The Supreme Council decides to:-Resolution of the USSR Supreme Soviet of 16 January 1991 № 1910-1
- Carry out the entire territory of the Soviet Union on Sunday, 17 March 1991, for the Soviet Union referendum on the preservation of the Soviet Union as a federation of equal republics.
- Turn on the ballot for secret voting the following wording of the question put to referendum, and the answers of voting:
- :"Do you consider it necessary to preserve the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics as a renewed federation of equal sovereign republics, which will fully guarantee the rights and freedoms of all nationalities."
- :"Yes or no".
- To determine the results of voting by the Union Soviet Socialist Republic as a whole, taking into account the results of voting for each country separately.
Results
In republics not participating in the Soviet referendums
An official referendum had been [1991 Estonian language|Estonian independence referendum|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 [1991 Latvian language|Latvian independence and democracy referendum|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. In both cases, 99.5% of voters approved of the declarations of independence.
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.