Members of the social-democratic breakaway Scottish National Party (SNP) today chose 37-year-old Hamza Yusuf to succeed Nicola Sturgeon as leader of the party and local government.

Yusuf was a close associate of Sturgeon, who provided him with the Ministry of Health in his government. He is the first Muslim to lead a major political party in the UK and is expected to be elected Prime Minister of the devolved government by the Scottish Parliament tomorrow. If he wins the support of MPs, he will be sworn in as First Minister of Scotland on Wednesday. Thus, he will become the first Muslim to head a government in a Western European country.

Youssef’s victory was announced this afternoon at Edinburgh’s Murrayfield Rugby Ground after a six-week election campaign highlighted a deep split in the SNP with the three Dolphins criticizing each other and launching personal attacks. The unity of the SNP, which had been one of the party’s strengths, collapsed over disagreements over how a second Scottish independence referendum could be held and how best to promote social reforms such as transgender rights.

In his first speech, Youssef said that Scotland needs independence now more than ever, and also promised to try to win over those who are against leaving the UK. “The people of Scotland need independence now more than ever and we will be the generation that will ensure Scottish independence,” he said in his speech.

About four in ten Scots support the call for independence, according to a poll released this month. But the resignation of Nicola Sturgeon could slow the party down and delay the drive for independence. There is no agreed strategy on how the party will push for London to accept a new referendum, and this was one of the reasons for Sturgeon’s departure.

Youssef’s victory today is evidence of the continuation of Sturgeon’s policies.

Yusaf himself has said that his Muslim faith “is not a basis for passing laws” and that he advocates same-sex marriage, in contrast to his main rival for the post, Kate Forbes, who belongs to the Free Church of Scotland and on religious dissent.

Yousaf also said he plans to sue the UK government for blocking legislation passed by the Scottish Parliament that would ease the gender reassignment process.

Yusuf was born in Glasgow and studied political science at the local university. After graduation, he worked as an assistant to a member of parliament, and in 2011 he was elected as a member of parliament. His father is of Pakistani descent and settled in Scotland in the 1960s, while his mother was born in Kenya to South Asian parents.

He first became a Deputy Minister of Local Government in 2012 – the youngest and the first representative of an ethnic minority. In 2018, he was appointed Minister of Justice, and in May 2021 he took over as Minister of Health.

In 2016, Yusuf was sworn in as a member of the Scottish Urdu MP wearing a kilt. He opposes the monarchy and has said that an independent Scotland should consider abolishing it.

Source: APE-MPE, Reuters, AFP.