Read the full essay here.
Since the 23 June 2016 EU referendum, in which 62 percent of the Scottish electorate voted to remain in the EU, the ruling Scottish National Party (SNP) has made it a priority to carve out a prominent role for Scotland in the U.K.’s negotiations to withdraw from the EU. Led by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, the SNP aims to either derail Brexit’s course or otherwise guarantee Scotland’s membership in the EU’s single market. If Brexit cannot be prevented or if the negotiated terms of withdrawal prove unacceptable in Edinburgh, however, the SNP may pursue an alternate strategy: a new referendum on Scottish independence.