How can it survive as an independent nation with a population of only 7.5 million? Is its economy diverse enough for it to be independent?
Ireland has a population of 4.8 million. They seem to survive OK.
With overwhelming support for Brexit in the recent general election, I wonder what impact it will have on the various separatist movements in Europe. There are two simultaneous processes occurring in the EU.
Separatist movements wish to fracture the nation state and assert sovereignty, the EU president is hellbent on Federalisation and the complete destruction of the nation state. In parallel will be the creation of a pan european defense force. The nations within the EU cannot even properly fund NATO. NATO has been proven to work, how will it have a future with or within an EU defense force? With the UK withdrawal and contracting economies the polarisation between north and south can only get stronger. With high levels of youth unemployment also, the EU is going to be subjected to increasing strains in the near future.