The Scottish National Party (SNP) has a new leader. Humza Yousaf, until now health secretary, has been chosen as successor to Nicola Sturgeon and will be the new leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) and consequently head of the Scottish executive. Yousaf has won the majority support of the party's more than 70,000 members, who have voted over the past two weeks in the party's primary elections. Although the party has already made the decision, Yousaf will have to wait until this Tuesday to be officially named as first minister in a nominal vote, although it is a simple procedure because he already has the support of a large majority.
The former health secretary will become the first non-white and Muslim to lead the SNP and the Scottish executive. He is considered a key figure in uniting the party and putting aside infighting. In his primary campaign video, he acknowledged that the political party is not passing through easy times, and expressed gratitude for the legacy left by Sturgeon, who headed the government for 8 years. In his presentation he argued that he was the candidate with most experience in positions of high responsibility, having also occupied the transport and justice portfolios, and pledged to continue Sturgeon's centre-left, socially inclusive agenda.
The new leader of the Scottish party - only the fifth since it was founded in 1979 - has prevailed in the second round of the primaries with 52% of the vote, once the second preferences were tallied in, thus defeating the candidature of finance minister Kate Forbes. On first preferences, Yousaf had 48%, Forbes 40% and former minister for community security Ash Regan, was left with 11%.
Who is Humza Yousaf?
At the age of 37, Humza Yousaf will become the first Muslim person to lead the Scottish government on Tuesday, following the resignation of Nicola Sturgeon as first minister. During the primary campaign, the new SNP leader presented himself as the progressive choice, ready to carry on Sturgeon's legacy. However, he also asserted that he would lead with his own style and distanced himself from some policies - including the plan to hold the next UK general election as a de facto referendum on Scottish independence.
Yousaf affirmed, during the campaign, that as prime minister he will fight "child poverty with progressive taxes", he will defend "Scotland's democracy" and that he will fight for "independence". He has also proposed to "address the cost of living crisis" and "protect and advance" the rights of individuals. Before learning the results, and just as the polls closed, Yousaf was satisfied "with the campaign" and expressed his thanks for the support received. "Whatever happens, I know the SNP will rally and unite behind our new leader," he said via social media.