The Comoros had achieved autonomy in 1961, and public satisfaction with the new arrangement meant that the islands had not been part of the
decolonisation that saw most of France's African territories become independent in the 1960s. However, public support for independence began to grow in the early 1970s, except in Mayotte, where support for retaining French sovereignty remained strong. A treaty was signed on 15 June 1973, allowing for the islands to become independent within five years following a consultation with the residents. The French government approved the treaty on 2 October, opting for a single referendum for the whole colony rather than an island-by-island vote. The approach was criticised in Mayotte, where
Marcel Henry, leader of the anti-independence
Mahoré People's Movement, claimed Mayotte residents had a right to self-determination based on article 53 of the
French Constitution, which states that secession cannot happen without the consent of voters. When the
National Assembly approved the treaty in November 1973, it made an amendment that required Mayotte to be given regional autonomy if independence were to be achieved. In November 1974 law 74–965 was passed, requiring the holding of a referendum in the Comoros within six months, but also allowing a six-month period following the results to decide on its reaction to them. ==Results==