In a surprise move, Humza Yousaf, the leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) and Scotland’s first minister, has announced his resignation, triggering a search for his successor. The decision comes after Yousaf ended the SNP’s alliance with the Scottish Greens, which led to two no-confidence votes put forward by opposition parties that Yousaf appeared to lose.
SNP leader Humza Yousaf steps down
During a televised announcement, Humza Yousaf stated that he was not willing to compromise his values and principles or make deals with anyone simply to retain power. He had been facing mounting pressure and criticism over his handling of the SNP’s internal struggles and the party’s declining fortunes amid a funding scandal and the resignation of former party leader Nicola Sturgeon last year.
The Muslim head of a major political party and Scotland’s youngest elected leader, Yousaf, acknowledged that he had “underestimated” the level of hurt caused by his decision to end the power-sharing deal with the Scottish Greens. He called for the leadership contest to find his replacement to start as soon as possible and will remain in place as first minister until then.
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Yousaf’s resignation is a significant blow to the pro-independence SNP, which has been struggling to win back voters and unify its members over how progressive the party’s policies should be. The Scottish Parliament will need to back any replacement for Yousaf within 28 days, or an election will be held if no majority is reached.
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