The First Minister of Scotland, Humza Yousaf, has resigned, and appointing his successor will begin soon. Yousaf’s resignation, prompted by intra-coalition disputes and principled stances, has sparked a political upheaval in Scotland. Following the collapse of the SNP-Green coalition, Yousaf’s departure has left the SNP scrambling to maintain power amidst opposition challenges.
With potential candidates emerging to fill his position, including John Swinney and Kate Forbes, the future of Scottish governance hangs in the balance, especially considering the conditions set forth by the Alba Party for coalition support, emphasizing Scottish independence. Despite facing opposition backlash, Yousaf’s unwavering support for Gaza ceasefire motions highlights the complexity of political dynamics within the SNP and its broader implications for the upcoming UK general elections. The leader of the SNP announced his resignation without waiting for his opponents to consider the vote of no confidence. This article deals with Humza Yousaf’s reasons for resignation in detail.
Humza Yousaf’s resignation following the coalition era disputes
Humza Yousaf’s reasons for resignation are not a single factor. Humza Yousaf was forced to step down due to intra-coalition disputes with his partners over some issues. Yousaf’s action brought Scotland into crisis. During the announcement of his resignation as the First Minister of Scotland and the leader of the SNP, Humza Yousaf said in front of the press on Monday afternoon, April 29, that he only wants to remain in this position until the SNP chooses his successor. This party has 28 days to do this.
Humza Yousaf’s reasons for resignation
On March 29, 2023, Yousaf succeeded Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland, when she unexpectedly stepped down. But just over a year later, he is now standing down after smashing a coalition government with the Greens. Some consider Humza Yousaf’s reasons for resignation related to party tensions. A few days ago, Yousaf abruptly ended the power-sharing agreement between his SNP party and the Green Party. He did so in the hope of winning the leadership of the minority government. But the opposition parties immediately proposed a vote of no confidence in him.
The end of the SNP coalition with the Green Party
The media reported the end of the Green Party’s alliance with the Scottish National Party led by Humza Yousaf and the beginning of a political crisis in Scotland. The Scottish National Party (SNP) has 63 out of 129 seats in the Scottish Parliament. The SNP is trying to form a coalition with the Alba party, which has one representative in this Parliament, following the separation of the Green Party from the coalition. The SNP can still hold power with the support of another MP. Scottish media reported that Alba’s party rejects cooperation with the SNP.
The SNP and the leadership of the minority government
When Yusuf announced his resignation, he apologized for the coalition’s failure. At the same time, he expressed confidence that his successor could successfully lead a minority government. Without the Greens, the SNP has just 63 seats, while the opposition has 65. The Scottish Conservatives quickly announced a vote of no confidence in Youssef and the Scottish Labour Party against the SNP government. In the end, all Joseph had to do was resign. What unites the SNP, the Greens, and Alba is the goal of national independence for Scotland.
Humza Yousaf’s replacement options
The SNP must now nominate a candidate for the post of First Minister. Former Deputy Prime Minister John Swinney and MP Kate Forbes, who lost an internal party vote to Yousaf in March 2023, are considered possible candidates. Health Minister Neil Gray and Education Minister Jenny Gilruth are also potential candidates. If the Parliament does not vote for a new prime minister within 28 days, an early election will trigger. In this situation, the opposition parties demanded an immediate vote.
Alba’s conditions for a coalition with the SNP
The Alba Party has previously said that it has conditions for supporting the SNP, the most important of which is to emphasize the necessity of Scottish independence and separation from the UK. A demand that most members of the SNP also emphasize. Local sources reported that Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf held talks with Alba’s party. Alba’s party has put separation from the UK and independence of Scotland at the top of its plans. Alex Salmond, the former first minister of Scotland, has created the Alba Party after his split from the Scottish National Party.
The effect of intra-party tensions in the decline of the SNP’s popularity
The pro-independence party SNP has shaken its fortunes amid the budget scandal and the resignation of one of its leaders last year. The party has also become embroiled in internal disputes over how it attempted to win over voters on the issue of a vote of confidence. Yousaf had previously said he was “absolutely” sure he could win the vote of confidence from political opponents. But as it happened, Yousaf’s proposal to negotiate with other parties to strengthen his minority government has been ineffective.
Yousaf’s non-negotiation of his values
Humza Yousaf is the first senior politician in the UK to call for a ceasefire in Gaza. Members of the House of Commons did not vote on his party’s plan to call for a ceasefire in Gaza. In a speech to the media, Humza Yousaf emphasized: “I am not willing to trade my values or principles or to deal with whomever simply for retaining power.”
Humza Yousaf’s frank criticism of the killing of Palestinians
Humza Yousaf had repeatedly criticized the killing of Palestinians. He was the only leader of a major party in the UK to introduce a motion for a ceasefire in Gaza to Parliament, although all major parties did not vote against it. Out of 418 members of the House of Commons present during the voting on the proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza, 293 members voted against the proposal of the Scottish National Party, the third largest party in the UK. Humza Yousaf resigned from these positions, saying he was not ready to stay in power at any cost
Yousaf’s backing of Gaza led to the opposition parties distancing themselves from him
According to Humza Yousaf, he will continue in his role until the internal elections of the SNP are held to appoint a new leader. In this autumn season, general elections will be held in the UK. It is not yet known how long the process of electing a new leader of the Scottish National Party will take. Also, what will change the pro-independence approach of the SNP and its separation from the UK is not yet known. Humza Yousaf’s reasons for resignation are varied. Support for Gaza caused opposition parties to oppose Humza Yousaf and, ultimately, his resignation as First Minister of Scotland. The opposition parties could not bear the voice of opposition to them on the issue of the Gaza war and forced Yousaf to resign.
