How foreign media have covered the Scottish Parliament election

an interview published on Tuesday with Tagesschau, a German news programme shown on state broadcaster ARD, SNP candidate and Scottish politics veteran Angus Robertson is keen to clarify the translation of the name “Scottish National Party” for German readers.

In Germany, the term “nationalist” conjures up an entirely different image to that which the SNP wants to portray. The nationalist Alternative for Germany (AFD) is now the biggest opposition party in the national parliament the Bundestag, with 89 seats – with a rightwing, anti-european Union and anti-immigration stance.

“That sounds like ‘far right’,” Mr Robertson, who is half German and is fluent in the language, tells reporter Imke Köhler. “We are not. We are a moderate centreleft party that has a European perspective.”

In the article, journalist Ms Köhler points out the focus of campaigns by anti-independence parties such as Scottish Labour, which has called for a focus on post-covid recovery. However, she tells readers that independence is not going to go away in Scotland.

“In fact, nobody can ignore the issue,” she says.

Journalist Thomas Pierre, in a piece for French commercial radio and media outlet RTL, agrees. He sugin gests this week’s vote could kick-start a return to the EU for Scotland.

“Will Brexit have paved the way for a new independence referendum in Scotland?” he asks. “The election on this Thursday, May 6, should give food for thought to the European ambitions of a part of the Scottish electorate.”

Catalan media has, unsurprisingly, kept a close watch on events. One news outlet in the Spanish region believes the Scottish Green party holds the key to the future of a second independence referendum.

“We must keep an eye on the Green party, to which polls predict a significant rise,” says columnist Tomeu Martí of website dbalears.cat.