The Alsace single territorial collectivity referendum () was a referendum held on Sunday, 7 April 2013 in Alsace, France, which aimed at the creation of the single territorial collectivity of Alsace through the merging of the regional council of Alsace and the departmental councils of Bas-Rhin and Haut-Rhin. Even though there was a 57.65% majority of "Yes" votes, the project was not approved, as two other requirements (a majority in favour in both departments and a voter quorum) were not met.
Criteria In order for the proposal to be approved, the votes in favour needed to be a majority in both departments (and at least 50% overall) and represent at least 25% of eligible voters ( votes in Bas-Rhin and votes in Haut-Rhin).
Opinions
Political parties NB: These are the opinions expressed by the national boards of each party, even if there might be different opinions inside the parties.
Yes Union for a Popular Movement Europe Ecology – The Greens Democratic Movement Unser Land Alsace d'abord Union of Democrats and Independents
No National Front, officially from 11 March Left Front (France) (including Left Party and French Communist Party) New Anticapitalist Party Debout la République. Citizen and Republican MovementCollectivité unique d'Alsace : le 7 avril, NON, bien sûr !, Mouvement républicain et citoyen, 4 avril 2013.Référendum en Alsace : Un "non" républicain et salutaire, Mouvement républicain et citoyen, 7 avril 2013. Republican Popular Union
No opinion Socialist Party (France) (PS) PS 68 and independent elected representatives – Alsace:Le PS divisé sur le référendum en Alsace , Agence Bretagne Presse, 31 mars 2013. Yes Intergroup of socialists and republicans from Alsace: No
Opinions of politicians
In alphabetical order
Support : François BayrouRéférendum Alsace : Bayrou appelle les Alsaciens à se mobiliser pour le "oui", Le Point, 5 avril 2013. (MoDem), André BordAndré Bord : « L'Alsace a rendez-vous avec son histoire », L'Alsace-Le Pays, 10 mars 2013. (ex-RPR), Charles ButtnerButtner : « Faire au moins aussi bien », L'Alsace-Le Pays, 31 mars 2013. (UMP), Jean-François CopéAlsace/référendum : Copé appelle au oui, Le Figaro, 5 avril 2013. (UMP), Jacques FerniqueJacques Fernique : « L'enjeu dépasse les clivages », L'Alsace-Le Pays, 2 avril 2013. (EELV), Laurent FurstLaurent Furst : « Colmar et Mulhouse ont tout à gagner », L'Alsace-Le Pays, 24 mars 2013. (UMP), Henri GoetschyHenri Goetschy : « N'ayez pas peur ! », L'Alsace-Le Pays, 10 mars 2013. (MoDem), Daniel HoeffelDaniel Hoeffel : « Le référendum renforcera ce qui nous unit », L'Alsace-Le Pays, 10 mars 2013. (DVD), Guy-Dominique KennelKennel : « Simplifier le quotidien », L'Alsace-Le Pays, 31 mars 2013. (UMP), Hervé MorinHervé Morin (UDI) : « Je vais devenir Alsacien », L'Alsace-Le Pays, 12 mars 2013. (NC), Philippe RichertRichert : « Plus d'efficacité à la nouvelle collectivité Alsace », Le Figaro, 8 mars 2013. (UMP), Jo SpiegelLe oui de Spiegel, « la chance d'une ère nouvelle », L'Alsace-Le Pays, 17 mars 2013. (PS), Yann WehrlingYann Wehrling (MoDem) : « Je crois dans les majorités d'idées », L'Alsace-Le Pays, 24 mars 2013. (MoDem). Against : François Asselineau (UPR), Martine BinderMartine Binder : « Un truc entièrement préparé entre élus », L'Alsace-Le Pays, 2 avril 2013. (FN), Nicolas Dupont-Aignan« Un démantèlement de la république », L'Alsace-Le Pays, 4 avril 2013. (DLR), Nicolas Chevalier-Roch (DLR), Pierre FreyburgerCeux qui persistent à dire non..., L'Alsace-Le Pays, 17 février 2013. (PS), Constant GoergConstant Goerg : « Il suffit d'une clarification des compétences », L'Alsace-Le Pays, 10 mars 2013. (DVD), Pierre LaurentMélenchon : « Le signal du démembrement de la France », L'Alsace-Le Pays, 5 avril 2013. (PCF), Marine Le PenConseil unique d'Alsace : l'unité de la Nation menacée selon Marine Le Pen, Le Point, 11 mars 2013. (FN), Jean-Luc MélenchonMélenchon combat la fusion des collectivités alsaciennes, Le Figaro, 4 avril 2013. (PG), Gilbert MeyerGilbert Meyer rassemble autour de son « non », L'Alsace-Le Pays, 27 mars 2013. (UMP), Raphaël NisandLe « non républicain » de Raphaël Nisand, L'Alsace-Le Pays, 17 mars 2013. (PS).
Results Bas-RhinHaut-RhinAlsace overallVotersRegisteredVotersRegisteredVotersRegisteredVotes%%Required quorumVotes%%Required quorumVoix%%Required quorumFor67.5322.0825%44.2615.9625%57.6220.0525%Against32.4711.0155.7420.1042.3514.73Valid votes96.6233.8997.0436.0596.8034.78Blank/invalid votes3.381.192.961.103.201.15Total100.0035.11100.0037.18100.0035.96Abstentions64.8962.8264.04Registered voters100.00100.00100.00
Bas-Rhin No82,777 (32.47%) Yes172,137 (67.53%) ▲
Haut-Rhin No104,846 (55.74%) Yes83,266 (44.26%) ▲
Debates after the poll The negative result of the April referendum was called into question in July 2013 as part of the draft law concerning the "modernization of territorial public action" and the "affirmation of metropolises", with amendment no 745 of UMP MP Hervé Gaymard abolishing the requirement for a referendum consultation to change the size of local authorities. After several delays, the Mixed Parity Committee finally abolished it in December 2013. However, on 25 June 2014, an amendment by rapporteur Michel Delebarre (PS), adopted on 4 July, "abolishes the compulsory consultation of voters in the event of a change in the boundaries of regions and departments as well as in the event of a merger".
In Alsace, on 22 September 2014, the elected representatives of the two general councils and those of the regional council voted 101 out of 122 in favour of a motion for the return of the council of Alsace as the only alternative to the territorial reform of the government which proposes the merger of Alsace, Lorraine and Champagne-Ardenne. A demonstration with ambivalent demands (against the Grand Est region, but also for the single council of Alsace) was co-organized by the regional elected representatives on 11 October, with the implementation of a single TER fare at €5 for demonstrators, throughout the region (the prefect has also announced that he will initiate a check of its legality). It brings together 7,000 to 8,000 people according to the authorities and 10,000 to 20,000 according to the organizers. In the debates of the Senate, which finally ended in favour of a unified Alsace in some form, the question of a single council of Alsace has also come up regularly on the table.
The two departments would eventually be grouped together into the European Collectivity of Alsace in January 2021.
References