Is Bavaria Germany’s Scotland?

That’s a brutal generalisation – both regions are home to millions of people and have a history that would take decades to fully understand – but this is journalism, so let’s not get bogged down*. On the face of it, there are quite a few similarities:

1. They both have long histories prior to the creation of their modern nation state and strong cultural identities.
   Bavaria is the only non-city federal state that held its current boundaries (more or less, excluding an exclave it held) continuously since before the creation of the modern German state, Scotland has a history dating back millennia. On the cultural side of things, everyone knows about lederhosen, Oktoberfest, kilts and haggis.
2. Both have independence movements.
   Bavaria has a tiny party devoted to independence – their slogan is “Independence – Scotland 2014, Bavaria 2016”. The ‘Bavarian Party’ currently polls at around 1%, but managed more than 20% in the immediate post-war years. Scotland will vote on independence in 2014.
3. Both regions have a disproportionately large political influence.
   The CSU, another explicitly Bavarian party, is a regular member of national coalition governments via an arrangement with the larger CDU. No other regional party has ever even come close to entering national government. On the Scottish side, their MPs at Westminster are allowed to vote on exclusively English matters.
4. They are both home to dialects that are incredibly difficult for outsiders to understand.
   German television sometimes uses subtitles...

But that’s where the similarities end. You see, Scotland is clearly unhappy with the status quo; even if full independence doesn’t come, it’s practically certain that – sooner or later – more powers will be devolved to Edinburgh. Bavaria, however, is broadly happy with their place within Germany and Europe.

Why is that? I’d direct you to the post-war governments in London and Berlin: Compare a highly centralised government that has (in the eyes of the voters) left Scotland out in the cold against a federal government that has overseen strong economic growth in Bavaria. Bavaria has done well in Germany – the case is more difficult to answer for Scotland.

So, Bavaria is Scotland, just happier.

*Glasgow University held a conference on this topic yesterday. I popped along and found myself surrounded by Bavarians, among them a CSU politician. So, I’ve decided to start a multi-part series: Photos of me posing with mid-level regional German politicians.

That’s me and Dr. Ludwig Spaenle (CSU), Bavarian Minister for Education and Church Affairs.