Scotland ‘No’ vote relieves UK & Europe, inspires separatists

As people in Scotland and the UK come to terms with the “No” decision from Thursday’s (September 18) independence referendum, Britain’s neighbors in the EU heaved a sigh of relief, easing fears of a separatist domino effect on the continent and the risk of a British exit from the regional bloc. On the other end of the spectrum, other separatist movements around the world were inspired by the peaceful resolution of the independence question in Scotland, despite the loss of the “Yes” side. In particular, the Catalans of Spain – where nationalist, pro-independence sentiments run high – have been energized by the referendum up north, saying they will push through with a vote of their own, with or without Madrid’s blessing. 

Follow Rappler’s continuing coverage of the Scotland referendum on our Europe section.