In a referendum initiated and organized by EFA members SÜD-TIROLER FREIHEIT, 92,17 % of the voters have expressed their support for self-determination for their region.

The result was announced by the party on January 12th in Bozen. The survey had been sent to the 400,000 citizens having the right to vote in South Tyrol. 61,189 people voted, marking a 15% participation rate.

At first glance this result, which is not binding, may seem rather low. However, unlike in Scotland or Catalonia, self-determination is not (yet) supported by the regional government which had called for a boycott of the referendum.

The SÜD-TIROLER FREIHEIT, a small opposition movement with three deputies out of 35 in the South Tyrolean Parliament, is very happy with the result. It shows that more than two thirds of the movement’s own voters (20,743 in the regional elections of 2013) are in favour of self-determination.

In a press release the SÜD-TIROLER FREIHEIT said that they saw the result as a mandate to continue their fight for self-determination, and that they are now confident that the South Tyrolean government will rethink its policy on this fundamental democratic issue.