When other Soviet republics claimed sovereignty over their territory in 1988 and 1989, Turkmenia's leadership also began to criticize Moscow's economic and political policies. After an unanimous vote of its Supreme Soviet, Turkmenistan declared its sovereignty in August 1990. In August 1991, following the failed coup attempt against Gorbachev's rule in Moscow, Turkmenia's communist leader and first president of Turkmenistan Saparmurat Niyazov called for a popular referendum on independence. The official result of the referendum was 94 percent in favor of independence. The republic's Supreme Soviet declared Turkmenistan's independence on October 27, 1991. Turkmenistan gained formal independence from the Soviet Union on December 26, 1991.