A referendum on becoming an autonomous

overseas territory A territory is an area of land, sea, or space, particularly belonging or connected to a country, person, or animal. In international politics, a territory is usually either the total area from which a state may extract power resources or an ...

was held in

French Guiana French Guiana ( or ; french: link=no, Guyane ; gcr, label=French Guianese Creole, Lagwiyann ) is an overseas department/region and single territorial collectivity of France on the northern Atlantic coast of South America in the Guianas. ...

on 10 January 2010.French Guiana (France), 10 January 2010: Conversion to Overseas Territory
Direct Democracy The proposal was rejected by 70% of voters who prefer full integration in the French central state. The turnout was 48%. A simultaneous referendum was rejected in

Martinique Martinique ( , ; gcf, label=Martinican Creole, Matinik or ; Kalinago: or ) is an island and an overseas department/region and single territorial collectivity of France. An integral part of the French Republic, Martinique is located in ...

.Martinique (France), 10 January 2010: Conversion to Overseas Territory
Direct Democracy

Background

French President Nicolas Sarkozy proposed the referendum after visiting the Caribbean island of

in June 2009. The French overseas departments of

and Guadeloupe had suffered prolonged

general strikes A general strike refers to a strike action in which participants cease all economic activity, such as working, to strengthen the bargaining position of a trade union or achieve a common social or political goal. They are organised by large coa ...

in early 2009, due to lower wages and standards of living than mainland France. French Guianan voters were asked whether they wanted more power to be given to the local government based in Cayenne. French Guiana was an overseas region and an overseas department of France, regulated by the article 73 of the French Constitution, giving it the same political status as metropolitan departments and regions. The proposed change would have led to it becoming an

overseas collectivity The French overseas collectivities (''collectivité d'outre-mer'' or ''COM'') are first-order administrative divisions of France, like the French regions, but have a semi-autonomous status. The COMs include some former French overseas colonies ...

, regulated by the article 74 of the French Constitution, similar to French Polynesia.La Guyane et la Martinique refusent plus d'autonomie
Le Figaro, 11 January 2010

Results

References

External links

RFI: Martinique and Guyana vote on more autonomy
Referendums in French Guiana 2010 in French Guiana 2010 referendums January 2010 events in South America Autonomy referendums {{FrenchGuiana-stub