What does the recent Scottish election tell us about the future of Scottish democracy?

Did the 2026 Holyrood election reshape Scotland’s party system for good? Three of the country's leading experts on Scottish politics and public opinion – Professors Ailsa Henderson, Christopher Carman, and Sir John Curtice – unpack what happened, why, and what it means for Scottish democracy.

The panel explores three big questions: How well do voters actually understand the electoral system? Who gets the credit (or the blame) for what government does? And who shows up to vote, and who doesn't? Against a backdrop of rising support for scrapping the Scottish Parliament altogether, growing intolerance between political tribes, and a taste for "strong leaders," this event asks what all this says about the health of Scottish democracy at a genuinely uncertain moment. Expect short data presentations followed a facilitated discussion. Bring your questions!

Can't attend in-person? Watch online!

This is a hybrid event. This event page is for the in-person tickets only. If you would like to attend online, please book your tickets through the online (livestreamed) event page.

Important points to note

This event is suitable for age 16+

Event format: This event is a talk and will involve some speakers sharing talking followed by a Q&A. There may be some interactive parts of the event but you can just sit back and enjoy listening.

Filming: Livestreaming and photography may take place at this event. Please let a member of the RSE Public Engagement team know if you do not want to be photographed. Recorded events will be made available on the RSE YouTube channel.

SPEAKER

Professor Ailsa Henderson FRSE

Professor of Political Science, University of Edinburgh

Professor Ailsa Henderson is Professor of Political Science at the University of Edinburgh, where she is also Associate Dean for Research Impact and Head of Politics and International Relations. She is Principal Investigator for the ESRC-funded Scottish Election Study and co-directs the State of the Union survey (formerly the Future of England Survey). Her research examines political culture and political behaviour in federal and multi-national states, with a particular focus on national identity, sub-state regional variation, and civic engagement. She is Chair of Boundaries Scotland, the body responsible for setting electoral boundaries for local and devolved elections in Scotland, and Deputy Chair of the Politics and International Studies sub-panel for the Research Excellence Framework (REF). She is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

SPEAKER

Professor Christopher Carman

Stevenson Professor of Citizenship, University of Glasgow

Professor Christopher Carman is the Stevenson Professor of Citizenship at the University of Glasgow, where he leads the Stevenson Trust for Citizenship's programme of public lectures and civic engagement initiatives designed to connect academic research on democracy with public life in Scotland. He is a long-standing member of the Scottish Election Study team, contributing to its survey design, data analysis, and public communication of findings on Scottish political behaviour, and co-edited the recent Scottish Election Analysis Report. His research focuses on how the public evaluates political representation and political compromise — including what voters expect from their representatives, when they see deal-making as principled or as a betrayal of voters, and how these judgements shape trust in political institutions and processes.

SPEAKER

Professor Sir John Curtice FRSE FBA

Professor of Politics, University of Strathclyde and Senior Fellow, Scottish Centre for Social Research

Professor Sir John Curtice is Professor of Politics at the University of Strathclyde and Senior Research Fellow at the Scottish Centre for Social Research (ScotCen). He was co-director of the British Election Study from 1983 to 1997, has been an editor of the British Social Attitudes survey series since 1994 (a contributor since 1986), and has co-directed the Scottish Social Attitudes survey since its founding in 1999. A past President of the British Polling Council, his commentary can be widely found in the news media and the What Scotland Thinks website. His research focuses on electoral behaviour, electoral systems, and public attitudes towards devolution, independence, and the UK's relationship with Europe. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, a Fellow of the British Academy, and was knighted in 2018 for services to social science and politics. He is the Honorary Fellow of the Stevenson Trust for Citizenship at the University of Glasgow.

About the Curious festival

The RSE’s free Curious festival of knowledge is back, from Saturday 5 − Sunday 13 September 2026!

Curious is Scotland’s annual festival of knowledge. Across its seven-year history, Curious has welcomed over 10,000 attendees into its yearly programme of talks, workshops, discussions and exhib

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