 Following the Russian Revolution of 1917, Bessarabia elected its own parliament, "Sfatul Țării" (October–November 1917), which opened on , proclaimed the Moldavian Democratic Republic (), formed its government (), proclaimed independence from Russia ().On , Sfatul Țării decided with 86 votes for, 3 against and 36 abstaining (mostly non-Romanians), for union with the Kingdom of Romania, conditional upon the fulfillment of agrarian reform, local autonomy, and respect for universal human rights.This was in spite of the fact that the national referendum necessary under the law had not taken place.