Edinburgh (United R.) (EFE).- The leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP), Nicola Sturgeon, officially announced this Wednesday her resignation as Scotland’s chief minister, which will take effect once the new one is elected. “number one” of training.
Sturgeon, a fervent defender of the independence of Scotland, leaves the autonomous Executive after eight years in charge of it, which she had agreed to after the victory of the “no” vote in the referendum on the split held on September 18, 2014.
“Today I announce my intention to resign as chief minister and leader of my party. I will remain in office until my successor is chosen,” said the nationalist politician at a press conference at her official residence in Edinburgh.
Sturgeon indicated that he has instructed the SNP general secretary to begin the process to elect the new leader.
“But for those of you who are shocked or disappointed, or maybe even a little angry with me, please… know that this is really hard for me. My decision comes from a place of duty and love,” she added.
Calling his work “the best in the world,” Sturgeon said he knew when the time was right to step down, and “that time is now.”
He admitted that he faced “the most difficult hours in the most difficult days”, in a clear reference to the pandemic, but that it is important to know “almost instinctively when it is the right time to make way for someone else.”
Conflicts with London
The announcement comes after the British government indicated last month that it would block a Scottish law that makes it easier to recognize gender changes.
Sturgeon has held the post of chief minister since 2014, when she succeeded Alex Salmond after the ‘no’ victory in the split plebiscite held in Scotland.
Sturgeon had stated his intention to call a second independence referendum in October of this year.
However, the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom, the highest British judicial instance, ruled last year that the Scottish Home Rule Parliament has no power to call a consultation on the demerger without the consent of the British (central) Government, on the understanding that it is of “matters reserved to the British Parliament”.
In the first referendum, Scotland voted 55.3% against seceding from the rest of the United Kingdom, while 44.7% supported independence.
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