Scotland’s First Minister Humza Yousaf on Monday stepped down amid facing a no-confidence motion just over a year after taking office.
During a press conference at Bute House on Monday, his official residence, Pakistani-origin Humza Yousaf said he would stay in his role until a successor is chosen to ensure a smooth transition.
His resignation follows a short tenure leading the Scottish National Party (SNP), which has been a dominant force in Scottish politics for over a decade. The Scottish Parliament has 28 days to select a new leader.
“After reflecting over the weekend on what is best for my party, the government, and the country I lead, I have concluded that healing the political divide can only happen with new leadership. I have informed the SNP’s national secretary of my intention to step down as party leader,” Yousaf said.
While holding back tears, he thanked his family for their support: “I owe so much to my wonderful wife, my beautiful children, and my wider family for enduring my leadership journey. You will be seeing more of me now. You all mean everything to me.”
Yousaf faced a series of challenges, including two upcoming confidence votes at Holyrood, triggered by the breakdown of the governing partnership with the Scottish Greens last Thursday.
The Scottish Greens responded by backing a no-confidence motion against Yousaf’s leadership brought by the Scottish Conservatives.
With the SNP now two votes short of a majority without the Greens’ support, Yousaf had to rely on the vote of Ash Regan, who defected from the SNP last year to join Alex Salmond’s Alba party due to disagreements over independence and gender recognition changes.
Yousaf, Scotland’s first Asian and Muslim leader, ended the Bute House agreement that former leader Nicola Sturgeon brokered in 2021.
Yousaf faced numerous hurdles during his tenure, including a police investigation into party finances that led to the arrests of Nicola Sturgeon and her husband, former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell, on embezzlement charges.
