Countries 243 to 250

Hahahaha

The 'vote' was illegal and unacceptable anywhere in the democratic world. Polling stations were broken into; there were no electoral lists; there were no precautions against multiple voting; the elections were boycotted by over half the electorate. There has been no election ever in Catalonia where independence or parties supporting it have obtained over 50% of the electorate and the only reason there is the slimmest of majorities for independence parties in the regional parliament are the vagaries of the electoral system - they never actually win the popular vote. It was a vote for one side only, akin to elections in the Soviet Union and other dictatorships. The Catalans overwhelmingly supported the current Spanish constitution when it was put to referendum and had input into drawing it up. The Constitution outlines the process by which it could be modified thereby allowing Catalan independence. You giving credibility to them here is shameful

*Have* all votes of independence anywhere been illegal, though? What about South Sudan, Timor-Leste in 1999, Malta, Liberia/Maryland, Samoa, the Marshall Islands, etc? What about even votes that failed to gain enough support but would almost certainly be honored, such as Scotland and Puerto Rico?

It certainly isn't surprising when a country refuses to recognize the independence of one of its constituent parts, but the alternative is also possible. I don't think you should automatically assume that calling a referendum illegal is done in bad faith.

I don't necessarily think it's done in good faith, either, I'm just saying it's quite borderline for this particular grouping. Life tends to be complicated.

Which doesn't help those of us who write transdniester over and over again. Clearly my bad.

As mentioned before, Catalonia voted in a referendum with a 40% turnout that was neither free nor fair with well-documented abuses and that was boycotted by the other side. Pro independence forces have never collectively obtained more than 50% of the vote in any election in Catalonia with at least a 50% turnout. The 'declaration' by the regional government is meaningless, comparing this with other countries' struggles for freedom against oppression is insulting - given that there actually is a legal constitutional way for Catalonia to gain independence. Please delete it from this quiz, along with Kurdistan who have also held back from declaring or seeking independence. Good to see that New Caledonia have rejected independence twice in 2 referenda in 2 years now.

but a war was necessary to get the widespread recognition required for independence. A UDI is simply a UDI, an act of rebellion, nothing more. The US' declaration of independence was effectively worthless until the Republic was recognised by France and other enemies of the UK and a war won forcing the latter to recognise the independence of its former colony. No one recognises Catalan independence and they have rowed back on it. Kurdistan has deliberately avoided even declaring UDI. Bougainville at least is on the path and SADR is recognised by many nations, although it only exercises true sovereignty over a fraction of its claimed territory. But you seem to have some other motivation than unbiased quiz-setting in this refusal to make the changes