A new opinion poll commissioned by YesCymru has revealed that a majority of people in Wales would vote for Welsh independence in a scenario where an independent Wales could rejoin the European Union.
Strong support for Welsh independence ahead of the latest march
The results – from the second of two questions in the same poll – were commissioned by YesCymru to coincide with the upcoming March for Independence in Barry on Saturday 26 April.
The March is jointly organised by YesCymru and AUOBCymru, two volunteer-led grassroots organisations committed to achieving independence for Wales.
Since 2019, thousands have participated in independence marches in towns and cities across Wales, including Caernarfon, Merthyr, Wrexham, Bangor, Swansea, Carmarthen, and Cardiff. The march in Cardiff in 2022, for example, drew over 10,000 participants, marking one of the largest gatherings for the cause to date.
In response to the question, “Should Wales be an independent country?”, asked in the context of rejoining the EU, 51% of decided voters said they would vote Yes. This is the first time a majority has supported independence in a clearly defined and realistic scenario, marking a significant moment for the movement.
YesCymru Chair Phyl Griffiths said:
We commissioned this poll to better understand how people in Wales view the future, and to provide hard evidence that independence is no longer a fringe idea. While YesCymru does not take a position on EU membership, this result shows that when people are presented with a clear post-independence scenario, support for independence grows.
Support in this scenario was strongest among:
- Plaid Cymru 2024 voters: 91%.
- 25–34 year olds: 82%.
- Labour 2024 voters: 68%.
- Non-voters in the 2024 General Election: 63%
A matter for the people of Wales
This follows the release of the first question from the same poll, which found that 41% of decided voters would vote Yes if a referendum on Welsh independence were held tomorrow, one of the highest levels of support ever recorded.
While EU membership would be a matter for the people of Wales post-independence, the results paint a clear picture: support for independence is growing, especially when linked with a vision of Wales’s future beyond Westminster.
That momentum is set to build even further in the run-up to the March for Independence in Barry on 26 April, where supporters from across Wales will come together to be seen, be heard, and help shape the nation’s future.
Featured image via the Canary