by The First Minister of Scotland and leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) has today tendered her resignation as head of the Scottish government and the independence party. At a press conference in Edinburgh, Nicola Sturgeon revealed that she will stand down from both posts until a successor is found, but will remain in the Holyrood parliament as an MP.
The news of this decision by 52-year-old Sturgeon – the first female prime minister, the longest-serving prime minister and one of the most electorally successful political leaders in Scottish history – surprised many.
“I know that some people around the country will be upset by this decision and the fact that I am making it now. And, of course, to offset that, there will be others who… how do I say this? That they will handle this news quite well is the beauty of democracy,” Sturgeon surmised.
“But for those who are shocked, disappointed and maybe even a little angry with me, please have no doubt that this is really hard for me,” he added. “My decision comes from a sense of duty and love. tough love [tough love, no original]maybe, but still love: for my party and, above all, for the country.”
Although his plan to call a referendum on independence has suffered some setbacks in recent months, the first minister Scotland had assured that it intended to participate in next year’s national parliamentary elections under the banner of independence.
Assuming frustration at not being able to deliver on that political goal, Sturgeon argued, even so, that the process of secession “is in its final stages”.
The Scottish leader has guaranteed she is not leaving the “best job in the world” because of “short-term pressures”, specifically related to internal divisions within the SNP, which have been reported in recent weeks, and justified part of her decision by attrition and “brutality”. of public life and the “danger” of “extending his term”.
“I don’t expect violins, but, being a politician, I am human,” he explained, citing as an example of this wear and tear the battle against the Covid-19 pandemic, which he described as “the most difficult task he has ever done”, by far ». “It’s only recently that I think I’ve begun to understand, let alone process, the physical and mental impact it’s had on me,” she confessed.
Eight years, one struggle
Nicola Sturgeon became Prime Minister of Scotland at the end of 2014, succeeding Alex Salmond, with whom he became incompatible, to the point where he founded a new party (Alba).
He inherited an independent government and party two months after a majority of Scots (55%) rejected secession from the UK in a referendum.
The ruling Conservative Party in London treated the matter as settled “for at least a generation”. But the process of Britain leaving the European Union has given new impetus to the cause of Scottish independence, which Sturgeon led.
Signaling the “change in circumstances” brought about by the result of the Brexit referendum, in favor of leaving across the territory, but rejected by the majority of the Scottish population (62%), the Prime Minister called for a new referendum and the SNP was the party with the most votes in all the elections in which he participated (national, regional and local) pre-election with this promise.
The victory in the Holyrood parliamentary election in Edinburgh led to a pro-independence coalition between the left-wing SNP and Green Party environmentalists and the announcement of a new secession referendum for October this year.
The intransigence of governments tories of Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak took Sturgeon to court, but in November last year she suffered a major blow when the UK High Court ruled that the Scottish Parliament did not have the power to call a referendum on independence and that , in this sense, needed the approval of the national parliament, in London.
The Sunak executive’s decision in January to use, for the first time in history, veto laws passed by the Scottish Parliament – blocking an SNP and Greens bill on gender identity in Scotland – further hinted that Sturgeon he had found new strength to defend the cause of independence.
But Wednesday’s announcement confirms its end first minister Scottish. As it searches for a new leader, however, it seems certain that as long as the SNP remains in power in Scotland, the secession debate will not leave the territory’s media agenda.
“I firmly believe that my successor will lead Scotland to independence,” Sturgeon fired back.
