The Scotsman ran a feature the other day on the candidates from the EU who are standing for election in Scotland’s council elections.

Aude Boubaker-Calder is standing in West Fife and Coastal Villages in Willie Rennie’s old Westminster constituency.

“I wanted to join a fair, tolerant party that supports the European Union,” said Boubaker-Calder, who moved across the North Sea from Belgium after meeting her Scottish husband while working in Brussels.

“In Belgium, we tend to be a bit more involved in politics as voting is compulsory. However, in Scotland, and the UK in general, people are more passionate when they talk about politics. Involvement in Belgium is more subtle. Aude, who lives in Dunfermline, added: “I’m someone who likes to be involved in their community. I want to make a positive difference. “Education is my priority in the Dunfermline area. We have issues affecting the catchment areas of schools, and rising school rotas. Everyone deserves the best start in life.”

Aude recently won an award for making the best speech of Scottish Conference on the subject of EU nationals’ right to stay.

In Edinburgh, Latvian Vita Zaporozcenko is standing for us and has been playing a blinder in no less than 5 hustings around the city. Most recently, she had a right go at the SNP for their letter targeting EU nationals – when they still won’t commit to full EU membership for an independent Scotland.

* Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings. You can find her on Bluesky at caronmlindsay.bsky.social