Scottish Prime Minister Humza Yousaf does not wait for a vote of no confidence and resigns

Yousaf, 39, told a press conference in Edinburgh that there was a route to surviving the upcoming no-confidence vote but, he added, “I am not prepared to trade in my values ​​and principles simply to join the to remain in power’. Yousaf was chosen by the Scottish National Party (SNP) more than a year ago to succeed Nicola Sturgeon, who stumbled over her transgender legislation and possible involvement in suspected embezzlement of party funds by her husband.

Yousaf inherited a coalition with The Greens, which Sturgeon entered after the SNP fell one seat short of an absolute majority in the Scottish Parliament. This collaboration has come under high tension in recent weeks. For example, the green coalition partner became angry because Yousaf put a stop to the prescription of puberty blockers for underage Scots. He did this in light of a disturbing report on trans care by leading British pediatrician Hilary Cass.

The Greens were then upset by Yousaf’s decision to no longer target a 75 percent reduction in carbon emissions over the next six years. He had done this at the insistence of Stephen Flynn, the leader of the SNP in the British Parliament. Flynn represents a constituency in north-east Scotland that is heavily dependent on oil and gas extraction in the North Sea. Flynn saw his seat in jeopardy in the elections later this year. Scotland has always profiled itself as a leader in the field of climate.

Shortly after the coalition exploded, The Greens announced that they would support the motion of no confidence that the Scottish Conservatives wanted to table. This placed Yousaf’s fate in the hands of former party colleague Ash Regan, one of his opponents during last year’s leadership election. Out of dissatisfaction with Yousaf’s views on gender, she switched to Alba, the party of former SNP leader Alex Salmond, the father of Scottish independence. Her vote would be decisive in the vote of confidence.

John Swinney possible successor

The opposition will also table a motion of no confidence in the Scottish government this week. Regan is unlikely to support this: if the ailing SNP loses power, the chance for Scottish independence will be lost for the time being. Veteran John Swinney is named as temporary successor to Yousaf. Party members will be able to cast their votes in the coming weeks. In the long term, the ambitious Flynn may become Prime Minister, but that will only be possible once he has won a seat in the Scottish Parliament.

Yousaf had a difficult four hundred days as leader. Both Scottish healthcare and education are facing major problems. The country also has the largest drug problem in Europe. Much attention recently focused on the so-called anti-hate law that he introduced despite much opposition. According to critics of this law, this was a serious violation of freedom of expression. The SNP is suffering from an internal fraud affair. Sturgeon’s husband, former SNP boss Peter Murrell, is being prosecuted for this.