|
An independence referendum was held in the Comoros on 22 December 1974. The overall result was a strong "yes" vote, with 94.57% of voters voting for independence and almost all the "no" votes being cast in Mayotte, where there was a majority for remaining under French control.〔(Comoros detailed election results ) African Elections Database〕 In contrast, on Mohéli only five out of 6,059 votes were against independence. Voter turnout was 93.3%.〔(Elections in the Comoros ) African Elections Database〕 Following the referendum, the country declared independence on 6 July 1975, with Mayotte remaining under French control. ==Background== The Comoros had achieved autonomy in 1961, and public satisfaction with the new arrangement meant that the islands had not been part of the decolonisation that saw most of France's African territories become independent in the 1960s. However, public support for independence began to grow in the early 1970s, except in Mayotte, where support for retaining French sovereignty remained strong.〔Pierre Cyril Pahlavi (2003) (The Comoros: "The Federation of the Quarrelsome Sultans" ) Gateway〕 A treaty was signed on 15 January 1973, allowing for the islands to become independent within five years following a consultation with the residents. The French government approved the treaty on 2 October, opting for a single referendum for the whole colony rather than an island-by-island vote. The approach was criticised in Mayotte, where Marcel Henry, leader of the anti-independence Mahoré People's Movement, claimed Mayotte residents had a right to self-determination based on article 53 of the French Constitution, which states that secession cannot happen without the consent of voters.〔 When the National Assembly approved the treaty in November 1973, it made an amendment that required Mayotte to be given regional autonomy if independence were to be achieved. In November 1974 law 74–965 was passed, requiring the holding of a referendum in the Comoros within six months, but also allowing a six-month period following the results to decide on its reaction to them.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Comorian independence referendum, 1974」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|