Brexit and Spain: Would the Spanish government really block Scotland’s EU membership?

Scotland’s First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, indicated after the result of the EU Referendum in the United Kingdom on the 23 June 2016 that she intended to do everything in her power to keep Scotland within the EU.

But how would other EU states react to the prospect of Scotland staying within the EU? Paul Anderson writes on the position of Spain, which is generally viewed as having a stake in blocking Scottish membership due to the existence of independence movements in Catalonia and the Basque Country. He suggests that it was unlikely Spain would block Scottish membership given the support for it in other EU countries, but that a Spanish veto cannot be ruled out.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Brexit and the view from Spain [The EU Referendum, 23 June 2016. The United Kingdom and the European Union. The results. Reaction in Spain] http://www.europeansources.info/record/brexit-and-the-view-from-spain-the-eu-referendum-23-june-2016-the-united-kingdom-and-the-european-union-the-results-reaction-in-spain/

ESO: Background information: The EU Referendum, 23 June 2016. The United Kingdom and the European Union. The results - Scotland - Reaction to EU referendum result http://www.europeansources.info/record/the-eu-referendum-23-june-2016-the-united-kingdom-and-the-european-union-the-results-scotland-reaction-to-eu-referendum-result/

EurActiv, 29.06.16: Rajoy warns against talks with Scotland on EU membership http://www.euractiv.com/section/future-eu/news/rajoy-warns-against-any-talks-with-scotland-on-eu-membership/

ESO: In Focus: Brexit - The United Kingdom and the European Union http://www.europeansources.info/record/brexit-the-united-kingdom-and-the-european-union/

El País, 30.06.16: Spain comes out against Scotland negotiating EU membership http://elpais.com/elpais/2016/06/30/inenglish/1467273803_871148.html

EUObserver, 11.07.16: Scotland not giving up on EU membership https://euobserver.com/political/134296

Blog: LSE EuroppBlog, 16.01.17: Scotland, Brexit and Spain: A special deal for Scotland is unlikely http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2017/01/16/scotland-brexit-and-spain/

The Guardian, 02.04.17: Spain drops plan to impose veto if Scotland tries to join EU https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/apr/02/spain-drops-plan-to-impose-veto-if-scotland-tries-to-join-eu

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