Following John Swinney's election as the new leader of the SNP, Humza Yousaf has submitted his resignation letter to King Charles, marking the end of his tenure as Scotland's first minister.

Mr. Swinney, aged 60, is poised to assume the role of first minister in the coming days.

Formerly the deputy first minister, Mr. Swinney has vowed to chart a new course for the party, ushering in what he describes as a "new chapter" in its history.

Mr. Yousaf attributed his departure to the aftermath of terminating the power-sharing agreement with the Scottish Greens, acknowledging that he has "paid the price" for his actions. His resignation, effective from the commencement of parliamentary proceedings on Tuesday, was conveyed in a letter to the King.

During his time as first minister, Mr. Yousaf faced various challenges, including a police inquiry into SNP finances and controversies such as the costly data bill incurred by former health secretary Michael Matheson. Additionally, several government initiatives, such as the Green-led deposit return scheme and marine protection efforts, were abandoned, and a court ruling against the government's gender recognition reforms led to their suspension.

The decision to dissolve the power-sharing arrangement with the Scottish Greens ultimately led to motions of no confidence against Mr. Yousaf and his administration, culminating in his announcement of resignation.

John Swinney, elected as the sole candidate to succeed Mr. Yousaf, has outlined his vision for a "moderate centre-left" minority government, expressing no intention to reinstate the power-sharing agreement with the Scottish Greens. Photo by Scottish Government, Wikimedia commons.