Europe: Separation from Great Britain: Scotland announces referendum

Like all cinema fans since the latest Brave You know, the English and Scots were never so green in the spring as in the Highlands. Since Scottish general election More than a year has passed in May 2021. Rule Scottish National Party (SNP) was not able to secure the majority of seats (one is missing), but was able to win with Scottish Green Party Form a coalition government.

Both sides advocate for Scottish independence, and exactly how before the election There is a majority in the Scottish Parliament as a whole in favor of a new independence referendum and the establishment of a sovereign Scottish state. After years of inactivity due to the pandemic, the Scottish government has breathed new life into independence with two important announcements.

This week, Scottish Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon unveiled her government’s plans to fulfill her pledge to hold an independence referendum by the end of 2023. A referendum on the Scottish government is aimed 19. okOctober 2023. However, the British government does not agree to a vote. Therefore, the Chief Legal Adviser to the Scottish Government, Lord AdvocateAsking Britain’s Supreme Court to rule on whether the Scottish Parliament can itself call a referendum.

A few weeks ago, Sturgeon tried to revive the discussion about Scottish independence. With my colleague from the Greens encapsulated sturgeonThe time had come for a new debate on independence. In parallel, the Scottish Government published a report good, which compares the economic and social records of the UK and other European countries and aims to show that Scotland would do better as an independent country. For the SNP, the issue of independence is now central to Scottish politics.

For the SNP, the issue of independence is now central to Scottish politics.

The Scottish independence debate has existed for a long time two elementsIn addition to the procedural question whether a referendum should be held, there is also the important question of whether Scotland should become independent at all. In recent years, the focus has been on procedural discussion. The political dispute between the Scottish and British governments over a new referendum has stalled since 2017. A consensus could not be reached between the parties in the Scottish Parliament or between the governments in Edinburgh and London.

It is therefore noteworthy that the SNP made a conscious choice to launch the independence campaign again before announcing its referendum plans. The June report is to be followed by a series of publications in the coming months building a new scotland to follow According to Sturgeon, subjects range from economics and finance, currency, welfare and pensions to . are up to eu-mitoMembership, Commerce, Defense and Security. Taken together, these reports include the Scottish government’s independence plea for a referendum, which is due by the end of next year.

There are two aspects to the new campaign. First, the publication of New Scotland-Reports a departure from the strategy adopted for the 2014 independence referendum. At that time, the Scottish Government advertised with a 650 pagesten reports under the title future of scotland for sovereignty. Despite its size, the report is still accused of being vague and hot-headed. with New Scotlandseries, SNP seeks to deter similar criticism by treating the main topics of genuine debate in a targeted and planned manner.

Second, the Scottish government is focusing its energies on the real debate. New ScotlandThe report should mainly present the rationale for independence so as to reassure voters about the benefits. He does not intend to answer the unresolved question of how a referendum can be held if the British government rejects it. So it seems a bit strange that a new campaign for independence referendum is being launched when the referendum has not yet been agreed between Edinburgh and London. Doing so reflects pressure on the SNP and the Greens, as both sides are committed to future sovereignty along with the referendum.

Voting in recent months shows that voters are divided on the constitutional question.

Since the Scottish government first raised the question of a new independence referendum after Brexit, it has consistently called for a “legitimate” and “constitutional” referendum. So if the voter decides to do so, it is aimed at achieving independence in a concrete way. This goal can be achieved only with the cooperation of the British Government. However, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson reiterated the same after the Scottish Parliament elections last year. clarifiedThat he is not ready to talk on this subject. Against this background, the SNP is now avoiding procedural issues and shifting its focus away from external dialogue to election campaign arguments. The Scottish Government can present these arguments directly to the people, with its direction and according to its schedule.

An independence referendum could bring about sovereignty, and a popular majority referendum could lead to independence. Survey Recent months have shown that the voter is divided on the constitutional question, with the pro-British side slightly ahead. The SNP and the Greens are optimistic enough to go ahead with their campaign in full swing again and will now seek more support for their cause. The campaign will now focus more on those who oppose Brexit but have previously rejected independence and can agree with strong arguments and a solid perspective. It is mainly aimed at this group of people New Scotland-Report.

Party members and the pro-independence movement at large have also been under constant pressure on the SNP leadership to make concrete progress on sovereignty. The SNP, which has been calling for a new referendum for years, now promises to get people to vote by the end of next year, so it must fulfill that promise. Should the party contest Scotland’s next general election in May 2026 without a referendum, it could be penalized by its traditional constituency. The survival of the party and its leadership also depends on the new independence strategy of the government.

The SNP has now officially started its independence campaign. Specifically, its purpose would be to attract public attention to the publication. New Scotland– Conducting reports and conflicting arguments around the main issues of debate. However, the party cannot deny that it is procedurally at a dead end in talks with the British government. The Scottish government can freely present its case for independence – and there is much to be said for doing so. However, in order to achieve a viable route to plebiscite and sovereignty, it would have to settle with the British government in some way or the other. This fact cannot be denied.

Translated from English by Anne Emmerta