John Swinney, the new leader of the Scottish National Independence Party in Scotland

John Swinney, the veteran Scottish politician, was appointed on Monday 6 May as the new leader of the Scottish National Party, following the resignation of Humza Yousaf last week. He is also supposed to succeed him as Prime Minister, after a vote in the Scottish Parliament.

“I am deeply honored to be appointed Leader of the Scottish National Party. I will do everything in my power to serve my party and my country.”, John Sweeney said on XThis was after his appointment was announced. “John's central message is one of unity. As a party we must heed his call.”Hamza Yusuf interacted, Greetings on Naming his successor.

Just over a year after succeeding the charismatic Nicola Sturgeon, Humza Yousaf, 39, was forced to leave last week after ending his government coalition with environmentalists.

In announcing his candidacy, John Swinney said he wanted to restore the unity of the SNP and Scotland, at a time when the fight for independence appears to have reached a dead end and the party, under the influence of a police investigation into its finances, sees itself bankrupt. Decline in popularity. At the age of 60, this element of the Scottish National Party, an ally of former Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon, is the only candidate to put himself forward to succeed Youssef.

Hope to restore the Scottish National Party

In order to become Prime Minister, he must be elected by Holyrood, the Scottish Parliament, where the Scottish National Party leads by a large margin over the various opposition parties, winning 63 seats out of 129, but does not enjoy an absolute majority. It is possible to vote “Later this week”According to British media, Sweeney could benefit from the support of the Green Party, which advocates stability at the head of the Scottish government.

The Scottish Parliament has responsibility for many areas including health and education, while foreign affairs and defense fall to London.

John Swinney was Nicola Sturgeon's deputy prime minister from 2014 to 2023 and left the post upon the latter's shock resignation.

He previously led the Scottish National Party between 2000 and 2004, when the party was in opposition. The party has been undermined by an ongoing investigation into its finances, in which the party's former chief executive and Nicola Sturgeon's husband, Peter Murrell, has been accused of embezzlement.

The main challenge facing the new leader will also be to limit the rise of the Labor Party in Scotland, in light of the upcoming legislative elections this year that aim to renew the British Parliament.