After the victory of the "NO" vote in the referendum for the independence of Scotland, S&D Group president, Gianni Pittella, said:

"We strongly welcome the democratic decision of the Scottish people to remain part of a great and historic family, the United Kingdom. Europe is the future. The European Union is the best context in which to defend and to develop the different regional identities, which are the genuine richness and strengths of all European people. The interests of Scotland will be better advocated in the European Union instead of facing global challenges as a small, independent state.

"Now the battle for all of us is to gather our energy and interests towards the creation of a stronger European Union. This is the only possible way to play a decisive role in a more and more complicated international scenario, to win the bit of the global economy and to assure a future of prosperities for the next generations.

"From the experience of the Scottish referendum we finally have the confirmation that people, governments and nations can remain united in the respect of diversities."