Ten years after Brexit, the question of independence divides Scotland more than ever. As the parliamentary elections of May 7 approach, ENTR went to meet two young people with diametrically opposed points of view on the subject.

Published on: 05/05/2026 - 10:04

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“It’s much more than just a traditional political debate. It’s part of our identity, our values, our culture. It’s our way of being.” A student at the University of Glasgow, Annie grew up in North Ayrshire, on the Scottish west coast, in a family strongly opposed to independence. “At home, we have always identified as British, not Scottish,” she emphasizes.

Annie's parents are what are traditionally called "unionists": anti-separatists, Protestants and favorable to the British monarchy, the symbol of the unity of the United Kingdom. In 2014, in the only Scottish independence referendum ever held, both voted against it.

If Annie also opposes independence, it is for reasons that are much more practical than nationalist. “We live in a time of great geopolitical instability,” says the 25-year-old. “So how can we justify the risk of abandoning the stability that the United Kingdom offers us, without any guarantee of being able to reintegrate the European Union behind?”

In the event of independence, Scotland would have to reapply for EU membership, a complex process which could take years or even decades. But “if leaving the United Kingdom meant joining the European Union, I would not hesitate for a second,” she says.

“We were taken out of the EU against our will”

Like Annie, many Scots experienced Brexit as a huge betrayal. Just two years earlier, in 2014, 55% of the population opposed independence… in part to avoid leaving the EU.

“At the time of the referendum on independence, the 'no' supporters campaigned in particular on the fact that voting against guaranteed our stay in the European Union, recalls Iain, 23 years old. And then, two years later, our membership was revoked.

In 2016, every constituency in Scotland, without exception, voted against Brexit. The same for most counties in Northern Ireland, although the results there were closer. England and Wales, on the other hand, voted overwhelmingly to leave the EU, taking the whole of the UK with them.

“We were taken out of the EU against our will, just because other countries decided so,” notes Iain with bitterness. “Even today, it seems deeply unfair to me.”

Brexit as a catalyst

This exit from the European Union, somewhat in spite of themselves, thus acted as a catalyst for Scottish separatist aspirations.

After lagging behind in the polls for decades, the "yes" to independence exceeded the 50% threshold for the first time in 2020, the year of the effective implementation of Brexit.

Since then, the two camps have been neck and neck. According to the latest polls from February 2026, 51% of Scots say they are in favor of independence, compared to 49% who are opposed to it. Among 18-24 year olds, the “yes” vote rises to 59%.

A vote for independence

Originally from the Isle of Skye, in the Scottish Highlands, Iain is part of this pro-independence generation. Today, he works as a captain of excursion boats in this region where he was born and raised.

“Skye is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Scotland, yet we hardly benefit from the income that the island generates,” he tells us. He particularly deplores dilapidated infrastructure and the lack of resources allocated to Gaelic, a Celtic language historically very widespread in the region.

Iain believes that Scotland would be quite capable of being self-sufficient. According to him, free trade with the EU could, for example, replace that with the United Kingdom, and independence would also give new means and powers to the Scottish government and local authorities.

“It would probably take a little time before we really see the benefits [of independence], but I have no doubt that we would get through it,” he says.

A journey strewn with pitfalls

But despite increased support since 2016, we still need to be able to organize a second referendum on independence.

The SNP, Scotland's main separatist party, has long argued that securing an absolute majority in Edinburgh's parliament would give it the democratic mandate to put the issue to a popular vote again. After all, this is how the first referendum, in 2014, was able to take place.

But in 2022, the British Supreme Court ruled that Scotland cannot hold another vote without approval from Westminster – a green light that the current British government of Keir Starmer seems reluctant to give.

The Scottish parliamentary elections on May 7 promise to be tense and crucial. With the SNP currently leading by a wide margin in the polls, how many seats it will manage to win – and what this will mean for the separatist movement – ​​remains very uncertain.

Forced to live with the consequences of a Brexit that they overwhelmingly rejected, how do young Scots see the future of their country? Within the United Kingdom, or as an independent nation? Discover the testimonies of Iain and Annie in this new episode of our series “Growing up in Europe”.

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