THERE has been another welcome sign of a sea change in European attitudes towards Scottish independence.

In an interview for Euronews, an English language satellite TV news channel based in France, the Danish Professor Marlene Wind, director of the Centre for European Politics at the University of Copenhagen and an award-winning political scientist, who specialises in the law, policies, and politics of the European Union, said that Brexit has "absolutely" shifted views about Scotland and Scottish independence amongst leaders in the EU.

Professor Wind added: "I think behind the scenes there is a sense that Brexit has really changed things when dealing with a country [Scotland] that voted remain, that voted very very confidently to stay in Europe."

The professor noted that Nicola Sturgeon's strategy of reaching out to other leaders would pay dividends for hopes of Scottish independence, saying: "I think i'’s a strategy that is very very carefully thought out, that this is the way to do it. This is the way to appear as a leader, to go on the world stage as much as possible, to create a sense of we are a nation, we are on our own, and we don’t want to identify with this clown Boris Johnson."

However, although European leaders will still refrain from openly advocating Scottish independence in order to maintain the diplomatic protocol of not being seen to meddle in the internal democratic affairs of another state, there can be no doubt that European leaders now have a very different and far more positive view of the prospect of an independent Scotland than they did in 2014.

In 2014 there was considerable incomprehension in Europe about why Scotland might seek to leave a stable, prosperous democracy which was an influential and important EU member. There was concern amongst European leaders about the uncomfortable issues that Scottish independence would raise for the EU.

Thanks to Brexit, Scottish independence is now regarded as a vote of confidence in the EU and Brussels no longer has to deal with the thorny legal and political issues which would arise from one part of an EU member state seceding and seeking membership of European institutions in its own right. Scotland would now be becoming independent from a state which is not an EU member and the EU can now tell the UK that any political or legal issues which arise from Scottish independence have been filed under: "That would be a you problem."

Additionally there is the important consideration that leaving the EU will be proven to be a politically destabilising step which has led to the break up of the UK. That would be an implicit warning to any other EU member state which might be toying with the idea of leaving the bloc.

While it remains unlikely that European leaders will explicitly back independence prior to a successful result for Yes in a referendum, opponents of independence will find it far harder next time round to trot out a series of European figures making comments helpful to the No campaign. More importantly however they will be far readier and more willing to recognise Scottish independence once a Yes result has been achieved. For independence to become real and to have meaningful effect, it must be recognised by the international community. Scotland is now in a much better position to achieve that.

This piece is an extract from today's REAL Scottish Politics newsletter, which is emailed out at 7pm every weekday with a round-up of the day's top stories and exclusive analysis from the Wee Ginger Dug.

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