Government

Edinburgh is represented by three levels of government: local, Scottish, and UK.

Edinburgh City Council

Scottish Government

UK Government

European Government

Until 2020, Scotland was part of the European Union, as was the rest of the United Kingdom. Britain joined the European Economic Community (EEC) in 1973, which became the EU from 1992.

It was a relationship the majority of Scots were happy with. However, while 62% of Scots voted against leaving the EU in the Brexit referendum of 2016, the rest of the UK voted to leave the EU.

Scots may soon vote on whether to have their own form of Brexit in another independence referendum, deciding whether to re-join the European Union or stay with the rest of Britain.

Scotland will always remain part of the United Kingdom, so long as the Queen remains head of state.