Humza Yousaf announces resignation as Scotland's first minister

LONDON -- Scotland's First Minister Humza Yousaf announced his resignation on Monday.

Yousaf, leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP), has been under immense pressure since he ended a power-sharing deal with the Scottish Green Party last week.

Opposition parties in the Scottish Parliament have tabled two no-confidence votes, one against the first minister and another against the SNP government.

"I have concluded that repairing the relationship across the political divide can only be done with someone else at the helm," Yousaf told a press conference in Edinburgh.

Yousaf acknowledged that he underestimated "the level of hurt and upset" caused by his decision to sever ties with the Greens.

He called for a leadership contest to find his replacement immediately. Yousaf will continue to serve as first minister until a new leader is appointed. Under Scottish law, the members of the Scottish Parliament have 28 days to choose a replacement.

The United Kingdom (UK) PM Rishi Sunak's spokesperson said the government will work with the new administration on essential matters like the economy and energy, focusing on collaborating towards common goals rather than the political intricacies.

Yousaf resigned little more than a year after becoming Scotland's first minister.

He succeeded Nicola Sturgeon, who announced her resignation as first minister in 2023.

As the child of immigrants from Pakistan and Kenya, Yousaf was the first ethnic minority leader of a devolved government in Britain.