A POLL of six major European nations has found that voters in the EU would overwhelmingly support bringing an independent Scotland into the bloc.
YouGov surveyed thousands of people across France, Germany, Spain, Italy, and Denmark – as well as the UK – to canvas for views on relations post-Brexit.
The polling firm found that a majority of voters support the UK rejoining the EU across all six nations.
Asked “Would you support or oppose the UK rejoining the European Union?”, the results were:
- UK: 55% support vs 34% oppose
- France: 53% support vs 22% oppose
- Germany: 63% support vs 18% oppose
- Denmark: 72% support vs 9% oppose
- Spain: 60% support vs 18% oppose
- Italy: 51% support vs 17% oppose
The respondents were also asked if they would support or oppose an independent Scotland joining the EU. YouGov found stronger support for that eventuality across all countries – except the UK itself.
Asked “If Scotland voted for independence from the rest of the UK and asked to join the European Union, would you support or oppose allowing it to do so?”, the results were:
- UK: 46% support vs 32% oppose
- France: 63% support vs 13% oppose
- Germany: 68% support vs 10% oppose
- Denmark: 75% support vs 6% oppose
- Spain: 65% support vs 13% oppose
- Italy: 64% support vs 11% oppose
In the 2016 EU referendum, Scotland voted to remain in the bloc by 62% to 38%. Northern Ireland also voted to remain, by 56% to 44%.
However, England and Wales both voted to leave by 53% to 47%, which was enough to see politicians remove the entire UK from the EU.
Elsewhere, the YouGov survey also asked respondents whether they would be happy to see the UK regain opt-outs and benefits – such as to the Euro and Schengen area – which it had due to special circumstances within the EU before leaving.
Voters in most countries said the UK should not be allowed to regain those opt-outs. The results were:
- UK: 57% should vs 21% should not
- France: 19% should vs 59% should not
- Germany: 22% should vs 58% should not
- Denmark: 43% should vs 36% should not
- Spain: 21% should vs 62% should not
- Italy: 19% should vs 58% should not
Finally, YouGov asked if voters would support the UK rejoining the EU if the only way it could do so was through regaining those special circumstances.
Asked if they would support the UK rejoining under these conditions, the results were:
- UK: 55% support vs 25% oppose
- France: 33% support vs 46% oppose
- Germany: 36% support vs 41% oppose
- Denmark: 62% support vs 14% oppose
- Spain: 33% support vs 52% oppose
- Italy: 33% support vs 44% oppose
The results suggest that there is no way back for the UK to regain the special position it held before voting to leave the bloc in 2016.
If ministers at Westminster were to heed public opinion and look to rejoin the EU, obstacles such as joining the Euro may make it a political impossibility.
YouGov's Eurotrack survey asked the opinions of 2029 UK voters, 1008 French voters, 2323 German voters, 1016 Danish voters, 1058 Spanish voters, and 1014 Italian voters between June 12 and 27, 2025.
