La pratique référendaire en Écosse avant 2014

Abstract

The 2014 referendum was the fourth referendum organized in Scotland since this type of popular consultation was introduced in Britain. The object of the first two polls (1975, 1979) was to seek popular acceptance for two Acts of Parliament that had been passed in spite of deep divisions in the party in office. The third referendum was a pre-legislative poll on a detailed project inspired by the Scottish Constitutional Convention which, though non- elected, was widely representative of Scottish opinion. It can then be said that the 1997 referendum was of a different nature from the first two and more like the Society of Nations plebiscites by which a given population was asked to determine its future. It was of course still more so with the 2014 referendum.

Keywords

• Scotland
• 5 June 1975
• 1st March 1979
• 11 September 1997
• referendum