2017 South Ossetian name change referendum

2017 South Ossetian name change referendum
9 April 2017 (2017-04-09)
Do you agree with the amendment of part 1 of article 1 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Ossetia, setting it out as follows:

The Republic of South Ossetia - the State of Alania - is a sovereign democratic legal state created as a result of the self-determination of the people of the Republic of South Ossetia.

Names Republic South Ossetia and the State of Alania are equivalent.
Results
Choice
 Votes %
Yes 25,123 79.53%
No 6,466 20.47%
Valid votes 31,589 94.49%
Invalid or blank votes 1,842 5.51%
Total votes 33,431 100.00%
Registered voters/turnout 41,814 79.95%
Politics of South Ossetia
Constitution
Executive
Legislature
Parliament of South Ossetia
Chairman
Alan Tadtaev
Political parties
Elections
Administrative divisions
  • First level: Four Raions
  • Second level: Towns / cities
Foreign relations
Diplomatic missions of / in South Ossetia

A referendum on changing the territory's name was held in South Ossetia on 9 April 2017, alongside presidential elections.[1] It was approved by 79.53%. The constitution will be amended to denominate the formal name of the country from "Republic of South Ossetia" to "Republic of South Ossetia–the State of Alania", referencing Alania, a state built by the Alan people.[2] Modern Ossetians are descended from the Alans, although the name Ossetian is of Georgian origin (although the Georgian root word ოსი is itself from an Alanic autonym).[2]

  1. ^ Tskhinvali Sets Date for Presidential Polls Civil, 18 January 2017
  2. ^ a b Fuller, Liz (8 February 2017). "South Ossetia Referendum On Name Change Steers Clear Of Thornier Unification Issue". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Retrieved 19 March 2017.