This is a list of currently active separatist movements in Europe. Separatism often refers to full political secession,[1][2][3] though separatist movements may seek nothing more than greater autonomy or to be recognised as a national minority.[4]
What is and is not considered an autonomist or secessionist movement is sometimes contentious. Entries on this list must meet three criteria:
Under each region listed is one or more of the following:
Various ethnic groups in Europe are seeking greater autonomy or independence. In the European Union (EU), several of these groups are members of the European Free Alliance (EFA). In some cases, the group seeks to unify into a different state – in cases where this does not involve the creation of a new state entity, this is considered to be irredentism. Analogous irredentist movements are included in the list of active irredentist movements.
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Territory of the former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast
Main article: Nagorno-Karabakh conflict |
Territory of the short-lived Talysh-Mughan Autonomous Republic
![]() Flemish and French Community |
Main article: Partition of Belgium |
Further information: Partition of Belgium |
Flanders or Flemish Community (the latter includes
Brussels-Capital Region)
Main articles: Flemish Movement and Greater Netherlands |
Wallonia or French Community of Belgium (the latter includes
Brussels-Capital Region)
Main articles: Walloon Movement and Rattachism |
Main article: Partition of Bosnia and Herzegovina |
Main article: Proposed secession of Republika Srpska |
Croatian Community of Herzeg-Bosnia
Main article: Croat entity in Bosnia and Herzegovina |
Main article: Istrianism |
Main article: Cyprus dispute |
See also: Turkish invasion of Cyprus |
The northeastern 1/3 territory of island of Cyprus
For movements in Greenland, see List of active separatist movements in North America |
Main article: Faroese independence movement |
Minor Movements
French Basque Country/
Pyrénées-Atlantiques
Main article: Basque nationalism |
Historic Brittany, comprising Brittany (administrative region) and parts of
Pays de la Loire
Main article: Breton nationalism |
Main article: Corsican nationalism |
See also: Italian irredentism in Corsica |
Main article: Occitan nationalism |
Main article: Flemish nationalism |
Northern Catalonia/Pyrénées-Orientales
See also: 2018 New Caledonian independence referendum, 2020 New Caledonian independence referendum, and 2021 New Caledonian independence referendum |
Main article: Alsace independence movement |
Main article: Corsican nationalism |
Main article: Nationalisme franc-comtois |
Main article: Russo-Georgian War |
Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia
Main article: Abkhaz–Georgian conflict |
Territory of the former South Ossetian Autonomous Oblast
Main article: Ossetian–Georgian conflict |
Main article: Bavarian nationalism |
Further information: Italian unification |
Main article: Friulian Front |
Main article: Lombard nationalism |
Main article: Padanian nationalism |
Main article: Sicilian nationalism |
Main article: South Tyrolean secessionist movement |
Main article: Venetian nationalism |
Further information: Community of Serb Municipalities and International recognition of Kosovo |
Main article: Transnistria War |
See also: List of active separatist movements in North America § Netherlands, and List of active separatist movements in South America § Netherlands |
Main article: Székely autonomy movement |
Main article: Separatism in Russia |
See also: List of active separatist movements in Asia § Russia |
NOTE: Only movements created prior to the Russian Invasion of Ukraine are represented here, due to the fact that most of the new movements function as online organizations and have little to no political or cultural influence.
Confederation of Mountain Peoples of the Caucasus[183]
Main article: Political status of Crimea |
Republic of Kalmykia[199][200][201]
Sverdlovsk Oblast (sometimes
Chelyabinsk Oblast,
Kurgan Oblast,
Perm Krai and
Orenburg Oblast)[190][191]
Image Note: Republic of Vojvodina within federalized Serbia, proposed by the League of Social Democrats of Vojvodina in 1999 – the map also includes an autonomous Sandžak, Kosovo and the metropolitan area of Belgrade as a distinctive administrative unit as well
Southern Slovakia:
Further information: National and regional identity in Spain |
See also: List of active separatist movements in Africa § Spain |
Basque Country (autonomous community) and
Navarre
Main articles: Basque nationalism and Basque independence |
Main articles: Catalan nationalism; Catalan independence; Catalan independence referendum, 2017; and Catalan declaration of independence |
Main articles: Galicianism, Galician nationalism, and Galician independence |
Main articles: Valencianism, Valencian nationalism, and Catalan nationalism |
Main article: Andalusian nationalism |
Main article: Languages of Switzerland |
Jura region
See also: Jura separatism |
Main articles: Russo-Ukrainian War and 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine |
Autonomous Republic of Crimea and
Sevastopol
Main article: Political status of Crimea |
Donetsk Oblast,
Luhansk Oblast
Odesa People's Republic[238][239][240]
Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Oblast,
Russian-occupied Kherson Oblast,
Russian-occupied Kharkiv Oblast[241]
Main articles: Regionalism in Ukraine and Rusyns § Autonomist and separatist movement |
Carpathian Ruthenia[243][244][245][246]
Main articles: Separatism in the United Kingdom, Federalism in the United Kingdom, Countries of the United Kingdom, and Potential breakup of the United Kingdom |
See also: Devolution in the United Kingdom and List of active separatist movements in Africa § United Kingdom |
Main article: English independence |
See also: English nationalism and English independence |
Main article: Ulster nationalism |
See also: Irish nationalism, Irish republicanism, United Ireland, Ulster Independence Movement, The Troubles, and Dissident Irish Republican campaign |
See also: Scottish nationalism, Scottish independence, Scottish independence referendum 2014, and Proposed second Scottish independence referendum |
See also: Welsh nationalism and Welsh independence |
See also: Cornish nationalism |
Main article: London independence |
See also: Devolved English parliament and English nationalism |
See also: Devolution in Scotland and Scottish nationalism |
See also: Welsh nationalism |
Cynon Valley[dubious – discuss]
Cornwall (possibly including the Isles of Scilly)
See also: Cornish nationalism, Constitutional status of Cornwall, and Cornish Assembly |