Victorious again in Scotland, the SNP revives the idea of an independence referendum in 2028.

The Scottish National Party (SNP) won the 2026 Scottish parliamentary elections. With an independence majority alongside the Scottish Greens, its leader John Swinney is reviving the prospect of a new referendum on Scotland's independence as early as 2028.

The Scottish National Party (SNP) led by John Swinney has won the 2026 Scottish parliamentary elections, retaining power at Holyrood for a fifth consecutive term.

With 58 seats out of 129, the SNP remains the leading political force in Scotland. Along with the 15 elected members from the Scottish Greens, who also support independence, the pro-independence camp now holds 73 seats out of 129, which is a comfortable majority in the Scottish Parliament.

During the campaign, John Swinney announced his intention to organize a new referendum on independence "as early as 2028." However, London continues to oppose this. Since a decision by the UK Supreme Court in 2022, the Scottish Parliament cannot hold a referendum on its own without the agreement of the UK government.

This victory marks a strong comeback for the SNP after several years of internal crises and the successive departures of Nicola Sturgeon and then Humza Yousaf.

The results also confirm political developments within the United Kingdom, where the Welsh nationalist party Plaid Cymru has won the elections in Wales for the first time since Welsh devolution, while in Northern Ireland, Sinn Féin, which supports reunification with the Republic of Ireland, has also come out on top.