Are Scottish nationalists in keeping with the times?

Irene Zöch looks sceptically at Scotland's parliamentary elections taking place on May 3, which the nationalist Alex Salmond is predicted to win: "The separation from England may be opportune and serve to capture the odd vote, but is the creation of mini-states at all in keeping with the times, let alone sensible, in a Europe that is increasingly growing together?" she asks. "Salmond is no raving nationalist trying to mobilise voters with strong slogans. He's a composed separatist, who approaches his goal with the sober determination of a hard businessman rather than taking to the beer-soaked atmosphere of Scottish pubs. Independence is not to be immediate. The people are to be asked their opinion in a referendum held towards the end of the legislative period. By this time, Salmond hopes to have proved he can govern and catapult Scotland forward without juicy cash injections from far-away London, according to the principle of the Scandinavian welfare state and the motto: We in the north can be better off financially without the English millstone around our necks."

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