Oomsels, P. (2014) Better together – a new hope for a federal Europe, EU Observer, 08 October.
The victory of the No in the referendum on Scotland’s independence has saved the United Kingdom. However, it is clear that post-referendum UK will be different from pre-referendum UK.
This is because, after promises of further devolution of competences made by Westminster, the Scottish No to independence can only be interpreted as a choice for more subsidiarity and more autonomy.
In other words, the Scots were presented with, and have chosen, a more federal United Kingdom.
The path of federalism in the UK brings hope for the discussion on future integration in the European Union.
Contrary to how it is often portrayed, especially by British eurosceptics, (European) federalism combines two principles of governance.
On the one hand it stresses the democratic legitimacy of European decision-making in its conviction that central governments should only exert those powers which cannot be exerted effectively by local governments (subsidiarity).
On the other hand, federalists believe that strength lies in union, and that every government of that union – thus also the central one – should be efficient, effective and endowed with full democratic legitimacy.
Relevant posts:
- Bertoncini, Υ. & Vitorino, Α. (2014) “Reforming Europe’s governance, for a more Legitimate and Effective Federation of Nation States“, New Decision-Makers – New Challengers Project, Notre Europe, Studies and Reports, September.
- Tierney, S. (2014) “Europe is entering the ‘age of the referendum’, but there is nothing to fear for European democracy if referendums are properly regulated“, LSE EUROPP, 02 September.
- Solana, J. (2014) “The Gallic Heart of Europe“, Project Syndicate, 22 July.