Brussels, 19/09/2014 (Agence Europe) - Scottish concerns about independence won the day in the referendum held on 18 September about whether to remain part of the United Kingdom. The historic vote saw 55% voting to remain in the UK and 45% voting to become an independent state, but the question has split Scots down the middle. The outcome is not a total defeat for the separatists, who have been promised more powers by London. Importantly, the result has removed a thorn from the foot of European leaders.
A step towards devolution. The vote is above all a fine tribute to democracy, for 85% of the 4.2 million Scots turned out to vote. Scottish first minister, Alex Salmond, the leader of the separatist campaign has announced his resignation. He has admitted defeat and urged all Scots to accept the people's decision. His battle was not totally in vain, however, because London will now transfer greater fiscal, budget and social powers to Edinburgh. Salmond urged David Cameron to keep his promise in this connection. Reacting to the result, the British prime minister promised to devolve some powers before the end of the year. This “devolution” will also cover England, Wales and Northern Ireland, taking advantage of the close separatist vote in Scotland. Cameron welcomed the fact that the Scots have decided to remain in the UK and said it was a clear result that turned the page for a long time on any breakup of the country. The announced constitutional reforms will give the country a whole new face.
Relief in the EU. After remaining neutral in public about the question of self-determination for Scotland during the campaign, the EU has expressed relief with the outcome. The president of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, said: “I respect and welcome the choice expressed by the people of Scotland in yesterday's referendum. I welcome that the United Kingdom will stay together, as stated by Prime Minister Cameron this morning. The United Kingdom is and will remain an important member of the European Union to the benefit of all citizens and member states of the European Union.” Martin Schulz, president of the European Parliament, said: “I believe that, in a time when sticking together has proven its worth in meeting the challenges we are facing in all walks of life, this is a sound decision.(…) I welcome that this vote took place within a democratically agreed process inside of the country.” The European Commission had been more open about its preference for Scotland to remain in the UK. The Commission president, José-Manuel Barroso, said that the referendum result was good for the united, open and stronger Europe that the European Commission represents. He also welcomed the commitment to Europe demonstrated by the Scottish population and its government. Comments that were no doubt partly aimed at London rather than Edinburgh alone because the question of a “Brexit” (the UK leaving the EU) will arise in a referendum on that question in three years' time. EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht (who is Belgian and therefore sensitive to question of separatism) made it crystal clear in comments on VRT radio that independence for Scotland would have been “cataclysmic” for Europe, comparing it to the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Gap widens in Spain. People in Spain, particularly in the autonomous region of Catalonia, were following the Scottish referendum very closely because Catalonia is holding its own referendum on self-determination on 9 November. Spanish prime minister Mariano Rajoy fiercely opposes the idea of independence for Catalonia and welcomed the decision made by the Scots, saying that Scotland separating itself off from the United Kingdom and Europe would have had serious economic, social, institutional and religious consequences. Catalan separatist leader Artur Mas, who is the region's president, said that the victory of the no vote in the Scottish referendum was not a backward step because the most important thing was to have the chance to vote. The situation in Spain is different from the UK because the Scottish referendum was decreed in London, whereas Madrid is planning to have the Spanish constitutional court declare the Catalan law to convene a referendum un-constitutional. (MD)