1990 Serbian constitutional referendum

1990 Serbian constitutional referendum

(1990-07-01) (1990-07-02)1–2 July 1990
Should the constitution be adopted first, and then multi-party elections called, or vice versa?
Results
Choice Votes % Yes 5,162,320 97.34% No 141,137 2.66% Valid votes 5,303,457 99.48% Invalid or blank votes 27,505 0.52% Total votes 5,330,962 100.00% Registered voters/turnout 6,813,790 78.24%

A constitutional referendum was held in Serbia on 1 and 2 July 1990, in which voters decided on approving a new constitution. The referendum was announced by Slobodan Milošević, the president of the presidency of SR Serbia, on 25 June. The proposed changes included the abolition of autonomies of Kosovo and Vojvodina, the implementation of a multi-party system, and the establishing of the office of the president of Serbia, which would have extensive powers. With a voter turnout of 78%, the new constitution was approved by 97% of voters. The Assembly proclaimed the new constitution on 28 September.

Milošević and the League of Communists of Serbia were initially opposed to introducing a multi-party system and holding free elections. However, the newly formed opposition parties—the Democratic Party and the Serbian Renewal Movement—advocated for a dialogue with the government to consider implementing political reforms. The Presidency of Serbia then proposed amendments, which was followed by an opposition protest in Belgrade on 13 June. Milošević declined to work with the opposition after the protest and called for a referendum to oppose the confederalism of Yugoslavia.

The opposition parties opposed holding the referendum before the multi-party elections and called for a boycott. The state media labelled those opposed to the referendum as "anti-Serbian" and "pro-Albanian". Following the referendum, the Kosovo Assembly was dissolved due to the proclamation of Republic of Kosova; the dissolution was condemned by Amnesty International and the European Parliament. General elections were held in December 1990, in which Milošević's Socialist Party of Serbia obtained a supermajority despite winning less than 50% of the popular vote.