Scotland, which had its own independence referendum just last year, voted two-to-one to remain in the European Union. Nicola Sturgeon, the first minister of Scotland and head of the Scottish National Party, has already signaled that Scotland will hold a second independence vote. She said it was “democratically unacceptable” that Scotland is being forced out of the EU. She added, “We proved that we are a modern, outward-looking, and inclusive country, and we said clearly that we do not want to leave the European Union. I am determined to do what it takes to make sure these aspirations are realized.”
If Britain does formally leave the EU—still an open question—it would also have a dramatic impact on Northern Ireland. As The New York Times notes, the border with Ireland is currently open, because both countries are part of the EU. That will change. Furthermore, 1998’s Good Friday Agreement—which brought decades of fighting in Northern Ireland to a still-tenuous end—was based on Ireland and Britain both being members of the EU. As Sinn Féin leader and Weird Twitter personality Gerry Adams said:
Interesting times.
— Gerry Adams (@GerryAdamsSF) June 24, 2016