Faroese independence referendum, 1946

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

Faroe Islands Autonomus constituent country of the Kingdom of Denmark

The Faroe Islands, or the Faeroe Islands—a North Atlantic archipelago located 200 miles (320 km) north-northwest of the United Kingdom and about halfway between Norway and Iceland—are an autonomous country of the Kingdom of Denmark. Total area is about 1,400 square kilometres (540 sq mi) with a population of 50,322 in October 2017.

Contents

Results

Faroese independence referendum, 1946
Location Faroe Islands, Kingdom of Denmark
Date 14 September 1946;71 years ago (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%
IslandContinued union with DenmarkSecession from DenmarkInvalid votesTotalVoteTurnout
Norðoyar 39828.1%95467.3%654.6%1,4172,22063.8%
Eysturoy 1,37254.4%1,05141.6%1014.0%2,5243,85465.5%
Norðurstreymoy 54445.2%62151.6%383.2%1,2031,67971.6%
Vágar 43440.0%61656.7%363.3%1,0861,48573.1%
Suðurstreymoy 67331.7%1,30961.7%1386.5%2,1203,32363.8%
Sandoy 28636.5%46559.4%324.1%7831,05374.4%
Suðuroy 1,78371.6%64025.7%682.7%2,4913,60269,2%
Total5,49047.2%5,65648.7%4784.1%11,62417,21667.5%
Results by island: For Union For Secession Faroese independence referendum, 1946 results by island.png
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]

Christian X of Denmark King of Denmark and Iceland

Christian X was King of Denmark from 1912 to 1947, and the only King of Iceland between 1918 and 1944.

Løgting parliament of the Faroe Islands

The Løgting is the unicameral parliament of the Faroe Islands, an autonomous country within the Danish Realm.

See also

Faroese independence movement

The Faroese independence movement or the Faroese national movement is a political movement which seeks the establishment of the Faroe Islands as a sovereign state outside Denmark. Reasons for complete autonomy include the linguistic and cultural divide between Denmark and the Faroe Islands as well as their lack of proximity to one another; the Faroe Islands are about 990 km from Danish shores.

The Faroese language conflict is a phase in the history of the Faroe Islands in the first half of the 20th century. It was a political and cultural argument between advocates of the Faroese language in general use, and advocates of the Danish language as the official language of the Faroe Islands.

Related Research Articles

The early details of the history of the Faroe Islands are unclear. It is possible that Brendan, an Irish monk, sailed past the islands during his North Atlantic voyage in the 6th century. He saw an 'Island of Sheep' and a 'Paradise of Birds,' which some say could be the Faroes with its dense bird population and sheep. This does suggest however that other sailors had got there before him, to bring the sheep. Norsemen settled the Faroe Islands in the 9th century or 10th century. The islands were officially converted to Christianity around the year 1000, and became a part of the Kingdom of Norway in 1035. Norwegian rule on the islands continued until 1380, when the islands became part of the dual Denmark–Norway kingdom, under king Olaf II of Denmark.

The politics of the Faroe Islands a "constituent country" of the Kingdom of Denmark, function within the framework of a parliamentary representative democratic dependency, whereby the Prime Minister of the Faroe Islands is the head of government, and of a multi-party system. The Faroe Islands are politically associated with the Kingdom of Denmark, but have been self-governing since 1948. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the Løgting. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature and the responsibility of Denmark. As of October 25, 2007, the Faroe Islands became one electoral district.

This is a timeline of Faroese history comprising important legal and territorial changes and political events in Iceland and its predecessor states. To read about the background to these events, see history of the Faroe Islands.

Sjálvstýri is a liberal and autonomist political party in the Faroe Islands. It is currently led by the Mayor of Klaksvík Jógvan Skorheim.

There are three types of elections in Denmark: elections to the national parliament, local elections and elections to the European Parliament. Referendums may also be called to consult the Danish citizenry directly on an issue of national concern.

Republic (Faroe Islands) left-wing political party in the Faroe Islands

Republic, formerly known as the Republican Party is a left-wing political party in the Faroe Islands committed to Faroese independence.

Social Democratic Party (Faroe Islands) political party in the Faroe Islands

The Social Democratic Party is a social-democratic political party in the Faroe Islands, led by Aksel V. Johannesen.

Peoples Party (Faroe Islands) Political party in the Faroe Islands

The Faroese People's Party – Radical Self-Government is a pro-Faroese independence conservative and conservative-liberal political party in the Faroe Islands, led by Jørgen Niclasen. One of the four major parties, it has had eight seats in the Løgting since the 2011 election, making it the joint-largest party, but it has neither of the Faroes' seats in the Folketing.

Anfinn Kallsberg Prime Minister of the Faroe Islands

Anfinn Kallsberg is a Faroese politician, former prime minister, and the former leader of the People's Party. First elected to the Faroese parliament in 1980 and consecutively since then, Kallsberg served as Fisheries Minister from 1983 to 1985 and for 5 months in Jógvan Sundstein's first coalition government in 1989, and as Economics and Finance Minister from 1996 to 1998 in a coalition led by Edmund Joensen.

LGBT rights in the Faroe Islands

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights in the Faroe Islands are relatively similar to that of Denmark. The progress of LGBT rights has been slower, however. While same-sex sexual activity has been legal in the Faroe Islands since the 1930s, same-sex couples never had a right to a registered partnership. In April 2016, the Løgting passed legislation legalizing civil same-sex marriage on the Faroes, recognizing same-sex marriages established in Denmark and abroad and allowing same-sex adoption. This was ratified by the Folketing in April 2017. The law went into effect on 1 July 2017.

General elections were held in the Faroe Islands on 19 January 2008, the latest possible date. The Self-Government Party and the Centre Party gained a seat each while the Social Democratic Party lost a seat. The number of women went from three to seven.

Same-sex marriage in the Faroe Islands, an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, has been legal since 1 July 2017. Legislation allowing civil same-sex marriages and adoptions was approved by the Løgting on 29 April 2016. The Danish Parliament approved the necessary legislative adaptations on 25 April, and the law received royal assent on 3 May 2017 and went into effect on 1 July 2017.

Jóannes Patursson Faroese poet and politician

Jóannes Patursson was a Faroese nationalist leader and poet. He served as a member of the Parliament of Denmark and the Parliament of the Faroe Islands.

Early general elections were held in the Faroe Islands on 29 October 2011. Faroese law states that new elections must be held at least once every four years; however, either the Prime Minister (Løgmaður) or a majority of the members of the Faroese Parliament may call an election before the end of this period. The previous elections having been held on 20 January 2008, the latest date on which the next elections could have been held was 19 January 2012. However, the Prime Minister of the Faroe Islands, Kaj Leo Johannesen, announced on 27 September 2011 that elections would be held on 29 October 2011. He gave no particular reason for his decision.

Progress is a liberal and pro-Faroese independence political party on the Faroe Islands.

Kristin Michelsen Faroese politician

Kristin Michelsen is a Faroese politician.

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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