Scotland’s Prime Minister Humza Yousaf announced his resignation from the presidency of the Scottish Government on Monday, just days before the vote on two motions of no confidence in his government and leadership.
The 39-year-old politician stated that he would also step down from the leadership of the Scottish National Party, but he would remain in this position until a successor is found.
Yousaf, who assumed office following Nicola Sturgeon in March of last year, is the first Muslim to lead a government in Western Europe and the first Muslim to lead a major party in Scotland.
The collapse of the agreement comes after the Scottish government announced on April 18th that it would abandon its goal of reducing carbon emissions by 75% by 2030.
The Scottish National Party has dominated the local parliament in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, since 2007, with 63 seats out of 129. However, it has been in power since 2021 thanks to its alliance with the Green Party.
After the coalition ended, both the Conservative and Labour parties proposed a vote of no confidence in Yousaf, scheduled for this week.
The Greens announced that they would vote against the Prime Minister.
After Yousaf’s resignation, Parliament will have 28 days to appoint a new Prime Minister.
In the British political system, the Scottish government holds power in many areas such as education, health, justice, and the environment, while the UK government, based in London, retains authority over defense and policy, in particular.
Over the past decade, Yousaf’s name, a Muslim of Pakistani descent, has become a significant figure in Scottish politics, holding several important ministerial positions and working closely with two of Scotland’s most prominent leaders over the past two decades, namely Sturgeon and former Prime Minister Alex Salmond.
