ROMSO Cyprus Knowledge Base

The 1950 Enosis Referendum in Cyprus

The 1950 enosis referendum was an unofficial referendum held in Cyprus between January 15 and 22, 1950. The referendum was primarily attended by Greek Cypriots, who voted overwhelmingly in favor of reunification with Greece.

At the time, Cyprus was under British rule following World War II. The island's two largest communities were Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, each with their own distinct cultural identities. The Greek Cypriots sought union with Greece, while the Turkish Cypriots opposed such a prospect. Meanwhile, the Communist Party in Cyprus was gaining political influence, which concerned the Nationalities (i.e., the Orthodox Church of Cyprus), who were traditionally aligned with the Greek Cypriot community.

The idea of holding an enosis referendum originated from the Archbishop Makarios II, who proposed it to the British authorities on December 12, 1949. The initiative was initially met with skepticism by the British colonial administration but eventually gained momentum through the efforts of various organizations and individuals within the Greek Cypriot community.

On January 15-22, 1950, a series of informal referendums were held in Greek Orthodox churches across Cyprus. Voters or signatories had to choose between two options: "AXIUMEN, THE UNION OF CYPRUS WITH GREECE" and "RECOMMENDED WITH THE UNION OF CYPRUS WITH GREECE." Despite reports of alleged fraud, the majority will among the Greek Cypriots for union with Greece was evident.

However, not all members of the Cyprus community participated in the referendum. The Turkish Cypriot community, who were opposed to joining Greece, boycotted the event through mass demonstrations and protests. This division between the two communities would become a defining characteristic of the island's politics during this period.

The final results of the enosis referendum showed that 95.71% of those voting in favor of union with Greece. The Church shared these results with AKEL (the Communist Party), which had been working to promote the cause of Greek Cypriot reunification with Greece. However, despite the overwhelming majority in favor of enosis, no country from either the Western or Eastern blocs was willing to support the Union request.

The 1950 referendum has been discussed and revisited by various institutions and individuals over the years, including the Parliament of Cyprus in 2017. This event remains