![Scottish Prime Minister Humza Yousaf anticipated a double vote of confidence in the local Parliament in Edinburgh by announcing his resignation on Monday. Scottish Prime Minister Humza Yousaf anticipated a double vote of confidence in the local Parliament in Edinburgh by announcing his resignation on Monday.](https://huffpost-focus.sirius.press/2024/04/29/238/0/5228/2940/320/180/60/0/c6e0866_1714391966711-000-34qd6w8.jpg)
ANDREW MILLIGAN / AFP
Scottish Prime Minister Humza Yousaf anticipated a double vote of confidence in the local Parliament in Edinburgh by announcing his resignation on Monday.
SCOTLAND – Overcoming current political divisions “can only be done by someone else at the helm”. In Scotland, pro-independence Prime Minister Humza Yousaf, who was threatened by a double vote of no confidence in Parliament, anticipated the decision of Scottish parliamentarians by announcing his resignation on Monday, April 29.
A decision which comes after the end of the government conference between his party, the Scottish National Party (SNP), and the environmentalists. The end of this agreement with Scottish environmentalists occurred last Thursday, against a backdrop of disagreement over the environmental policy to be pursued. However, it was the formation of this green alliance which allowed the SNP to obtain governance in 2021.
Weakened by this political divorce, the first Muslim leader to lead a major British party had to face a motion of no confidence tabled by the Conservative and Labor oppositions. Where the environmentalists had already planned to vote against the Prime Minister. Enough to cause the fall of the 39-year-old leader, who bluntly admitted his failure even before the vote, scheduled for this week in Parliament.
“I cannot tell you what an honor it is to be the Prime Minister of the country I love, the country in which I am raising my family and the only country I will one day call home”he said with emotion during his speech.
“Unfortunately, in ending the Bute House Agreement, I clearly underestimated the level of pain and upheaval caused by my Green colleagues”, then recognized the Scottish leader. He was also “absolutely impossible” for him to win a vote of confidence, he estimated after a weekend of reflection on the decision to make.
28 days later
This is undeniably a new blow for the independence party, of which Humza Yousaf took the lead after the surprise resignation of her predecessor Nicola Sturgeon. From now on, the SNP is in the minority and must forge new alliances quickly, even if it remains at this stage in the majority with 63 seats out of the 129 in the local Parliament of Edinburgh.
And that’s without taking into account the fact that at the national level, the party only has 43 MPs in Parliament in London. It is thus threatened by the strong comeback of the Scottish Labor Party, which could take advantage of this moment of weakness during the legislative elections scheduled for this year. Added to this is a scandal which is further weighing down the SNP. The fault lies in an investigation opened for embezzlement for which the former general director of the party was indicted.
Regarding the post of Prime Minister, Humza Yousaf declared on Monday that he would retain his functions until the appointment of his successor, calling for a race to quickly find his replacement. The Scottish Parliament has 28 days to choose its next head of government.
The last words of the now future former Scottish Prime Minister were addressed to his family, not without a touch of irony: “ I’m afraid you’ll see a lot more of me from now on »…
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