Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf is expected to resign before facing two confidence votes this week, according to British media reports. Yousaf, who leads the Scottish National Party (SNP), is set to address a news conference at noon (1100 GMT) today. The decision comes after Yousaf’s government ended the ruling coalition with the Scottish Greens, which led to the abandonment of ambitious targets for transitioning to net-zero carbon emissions. The Scottish Conservatives and Scottish Labour have lodged no-confidence votes against Yousaf, with the Tories, Labour, and Liberal Democrats all stating their intention to vote against him. The Greens have also refused to support him, leaving Yousaf with the task of seeking the backing of the sole Alba party lawmaker, Ash Regan. Yousaf’s pro-independence SNP holds 63 seats in the 129-seat Scottish Parliament, two seats short of a majority. If Yousaf resigns, the parliament will have 28 days to choose a new first minister.
Yousaf became Scotland’s first minister after Nicola Sturgeon stepped down as SNP leader and first minister, citing fatigue after eight years in charge. Yousaf, the first Muslim leader of a major UK political party, won a leadership contest against Kate Forbes and Ash Regan, highlighting divisions within the party. However, his leadership faced challenges when Sturgeon and her husband, Peter Murrell, were arrested over allegations of mismanagement of SNP finances. While Murrell has been charged, Sturgeon has not. Yousaf’s government also faced criticism over controversial new laws that criminalized stirring up hatred against certain groups, including transgender people. The SNP’s popularity has declined under Yousaf, coinciding with a resurgence of the Labour party, which is expected to perform well in the upcoming UK general election.
Scotland’s independence movement, which saw a surge in support under Sturgeon’s leadership, is currently at a low point. Despite the UK’s vote to leave the European Union in 2016, Scotland has struggled to gain momentum for another independence referendum. The Scottish Parliament, established in 1999, has limited powers in areas such as health, education, transport, and the environment, while countrywide issues like defense and foreign policy remain under the control of the UK government in London.