Nicola Sturgeon (52) is stepping down as Prime Minister of Scotland, reports the British broadcaster BBC. She will most likely announce the news at a press conference in the Scottish capital Edinburgh.
It is still unclear when Sturgeon will step down and why. Moreover, it is not yet known who will succeed her. At 11 a.m. local time, she will address the press from her official residence in Edinburgh.
Sturgeon has been Prime Minister for the Scottish National Party (SNP), a left-wing nationalist independence party, since November 2014. In that position, she succeeded Alex Salmond, who resigned after a majority of Scots voted against independence in a referendum.
Sturgeon has made a new referendum her top priority since Brexit. She is now Scotland’s longest-serving Prime Minister.
A source close to Sturgeon told the BBC she’s “had enough”.
In recent months, Sturgeon has been under a lot of pressure over a new transgender law, which the Scottish Parliament voted on at the end of December. This law should make it easier for transgender people to change their gender on their passports.
But the bill is facing opposition from London, where Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Conservative government wants to use its power to block Scottish legislation. That would be a first in British history. Despite the controversy, Sturgeon wanted to press ahead with the transgender law, but her popularity also suffered.