Humza Yousaf, the First Minister of Scotland, tendered his resignation on Monday ahead of an anticipated vote of no confidence on Wednesday, which he seemed poised to lose.

Yousaf's departure comes just over a year after assuming the position, making history as Scotland's first non-white and first Muslim leader.

Speaking from Bute House, the official residence of the First Minister, the 39-year-old expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve in Scotland's highest office. "I cannot tell you what an honour it is being the first minister of the country I love, the country I'm raising my family in and the only country I will ever call home," Yousaf remarked.

The leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) faced mounting criticism and a vote of no confidence following his decision to terminate the SNP's power-sharing arrangement with the Scottish Greens last Thursday.

The collapse of Scotland's coalition government stemmed from a contentious dispute over the abandonment of a significant carbon emissions target by the Scottish government. The rift led to the dissolution of the Bute House Agreement, which had brought the Scottish Greens into government for the first time in 2021.

Yousaf's actions drew condemnation from within Scotland and across the UK. Scottish Green Party co-leader Lorna Slater characterized his move as displaying "very poor judgment" and emphasized the productive collaboration between the parties prior to the breakdown.

Assuming office in March of the previous year in a historic victory, Yousaf reflected on the significance of his tenure. "I cannot tell you what an honour it is being the first minister of the country I love, the country I'm raising my family in and the only country I will ever call home," he reiterated. "People that looked like me were not in positions of political influence."

With Yousaf's resignation, the Scottish parliament has 28 days to select his successor through a majority vote among its members. Failure to reach a consensus will trigger an election. Photo by Scottish Government, Wikimedia commons.