Ajit Karn
London: Scotland’s parliament affirmed on Tuesday that Humza Yousaf will replace Nicola Sturgeon as first minister, making him the youngest and first Muslim leader of a western European government.
Humza Yousaf, 37, won a leadership election for the Scottish National Party (SNP) by a razor-thin margin and pledged to revive Scotland’s suspended pursuit of independence.
He was subsequently nominated by a majority of legislators in the early afternoon ballot on Tuesday to become the new prime minister, and will be formally sworn in on Wednesday.
Yousaf acknowledged he had “some very big shoes to fill” in succeeding Sturgeon, but pledged to “continue to ensure that Scotland is a positive, progressive voice on the world stage” prior to the confirmation vote.
“I will defend unequivocally this parliament and oppose any efforts to undermine devolution,” he said, referring to the 1999 UK government reforms that granted Scotland a plethora of domestic policy-related powers.
The new SNP leader added, “I will work every hour of every day to maximize the potential of Scotland and every individual.”
‘Welcoming’
Sturgeon submitted her formal resignation letter to King Charles III hours before the vote and vacated the official residence of the first minister in Edinburgh.
Yousaf will be invested in on Wednesday after receiving formal sanction from the monarch, whom he wishes to replace with an elected head of state for Scotland.
SNP leaders were pleased that Scotland was the first western European democracy to appoint a Muslim leader.
Stephen Flynn, the leader of the party in the UK parliament, told AFP, “I believe this demonstrates that the United Kingdom and Scotland in particular are welcoming nations.”
He contrasted this with the Conservative administration of UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, which seeks to “outlaw asylum seekers” through new legislation to combat the influx of migrants traversing the English Channel by boat.
The tectonic shift in Scottish politics is a result of Sturgeon’s sudden resignation announcement after more than eight years at the helm last month.
It came after a turbulent period for her government, during which support for independence waned.
Recent polls indicate that approximately 45 percent of Scots support Scotland’s exit from the United Kingdom, the same percentage documented in a 2014 referendum that London insists resolved the issue for a generation.
Yousaf vowed on Monday to be “the generation that brings independence to Scotland,” promising to “kickstart” a civic movement toward that end and to urge London once more to authorize another vote.
However, Sunak’s spokesperson quickly advised reporters that he should concentrate on economic and policy issues “that matter” to Scottish electors.
Criticism
Yousaf, who served as minister of health in Sturgeon’s previous ministry, narrowly won the SNP election with 52% of members’ preferentially ranked ballots.
He was criticized for his performance in multiple government positions.
With a UK general election anticipated within the next 18 months, he now confronts a greater challenge to win over the broader Scottish electorate.
A poll conducted by Ipsos shortly before he was named SNP leader revealed that fifty percent of Scots believe the country is headed in the incorrect direction, while only twenty-five percent believe it is heading in the right direction.
Despite a string of electoral victories under Sturgeon, the SNP confronts acrimonious divisions following the three-way leadership contest.
The backlash against a new Scottish law allowing anyone over 16 to alter their gender without a medical diagnosis overshadowed Sturgeon’s final months in office.
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As the debate erupted, the British government blocked the legislation with an unprecedented veto.
The UK Supreme Court ruled last year that Sturgeon’s administration could not conduct a new referendum on Scottish independence without London’s permission.
Sturgeon’s leadership and strategy were rarely criticized in the aftermath of these two defeats.
