Hannah Omerjee | homerjee@radioislam.co.za
27 February 2023 | 10:00 AM CAT
2 min read

Photo Credit:  National World

The Scottish first minister Nichola Sturgeon has announced her intention to resign after nearly a decade in power. This decision has caught many people by surprise. Sturgeon said she wanted her life back to try new things and spend time with her family. During her term in office, she has had to steer Scotland through very turbulent times, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and Britain’s exit from the European Union.

Professor Murray Leith, an academic leader in research with over 20 years of experience, said, “It’s an extremely challenging job, and there are very few leaders you can point to who have been in the top democratic job in their country for such a long time.” Sturgeon’s legacy is strong, and her leadership has been significant. She established Scotland on the international stage.

The Scottish Parliament was established in 1999 and is distinct from the United Kingdom government with its legal system, education system and health system. It operates separately from Westminster.

When asked about Scotland’s autonomy, Professor Leith said, “It is semi-autonomous, the Westminster Parliament can overwrite it, and we saw that happen for the first time recently with the gender recognition reform bill, which was passed through the Scottish Parliament by a vote of over two to one but was then overwritten by Westminster.”

Nominations for the Scottish party have closed, with Humza Yousaf, Kate Forbes and Ash Regan being the top three candidates representing a new wave of leadership. All three candidates have interesting backgrounds.

Whoever succeeds will represent a new direction for the party. The front-runners are Humza Yousaf and Kate Forbes. The Scottish people don’t seem to have a problem with people of different religions. Voting is scheduled for 13 March and will close on 27 March, when the results will be announced.

Listen to the full interview on Sabahul Muslim with host Ml Sulaimaan Ravat and his guest, Prof. Murray Leith.