A referendum was held in Iceland

Iceland

Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...

 on 24 May 1944. There were two separate issues:

1. Whether to abolish the Union with Denmark
   Kingdom of Iceland
   The Kingdom of Iceland was a constitutional monarchy lasting from 1 December 1918 until 17 June 1944, when the republic was proclaimed.- Origins in Danish rule :...
   
   .
2. Whether to adopt a new republic
   Republic
   A republic is a form of government in which the people, or some significant portion of them, have supreme control over the government and where offices of state are elected or chosen by elected people. In modern times, a common simplified definition of a republic is a government where the head of...
   
   an constitution.

Voter turnout was 98.6%.

Abolishing the Act of Union

Choice	Votes	% of vote
For	71,122	97.35%
Against	377	0.52%
Blank or invalid	1,559	2.13%
Total	73,058	100%

New republican constitution

Choice	Votes	% of vote
For	69,435	95.04%
Against	1,051	1.44%
Blank or invalid	2,572	3.52%
Total	73,058	100%

Aftermath

The Republic of Iceland came into being on 17 June 1944. Since Denmark was still occupied by Nazi Germany

Nazi Germany

Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...

, many Danes felt offended that the step should have been taken at this time. Despite this the Danish king, Christian X

Christian X of Denmark

Christian X was King of Denmark from 1912 to 1947 and the only King of Iceland between 1918 and 1944....

, sent a message of congratulations to the Icelandic people.