Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced her resignation on Wednesday February 15 after eight years in office. Ms Sturgeon, 52, gave a statement to the press at midday, in which she said she would remain in office until someone was elected from the Scottish National Party (SNP) to succeed him.
A convinced independentist, the leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) has been in office at the head of the British territory since 2014. Her fight for a new independence referendum has allowed her to remain popular with Scots for a long time.
But the leader was weakened by the adoption in December of a very controversial law facilitating gender transition, permitted from the age of 16 and without medical advice. A controversy surrounding the transfer of a transgender prisoner convicted of two rapes to a women's prison has damaged the image of the leader and her party.
