Pronoun 'it'

Hi, teachers,
I have difficulty finding out what the underlined ‘it’ indicates? In my opinion, it seems to be ‘the roiling debate’. Could you tell me the right answer?

But, whatever the legal outcome of the roiling debate over mercy killing may be, it has accomplished a great deal. It has sensitized Europeans to the harsh new realities of dying in a society where medicine can prolong a painful life for years. It has made the children of aging parents think hard about their filial duties to the aged and moribund.

Thanks in advance.