04/29/2024April 29, 2024
Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf has resigned ahead of two no-confidence votes that could bring down his Scottish National Party-led government. The move comes after he ended a cooperation agreement with the Greens.
Scottish leader Humza Yousaf on Monday announced his resignation as the possibility he might scrape a win in two no-confidence votes appeared to wane.
Yousaf's leadership was plunged into trouble last week when he ended a cooperation agreement between his Scottish National Party (SNP) and Scotland's Green Party.
What did the SNP leader say?
The first minister said he had not realized how much upset ending the deal, known as the Bute House Agreement, would generate. He said he needed to step aside so that bridges could be rebuilt.
"My hope was to continue working with the Greens in a less formal arrangement as the SNP moved into a new phase of minority government. Unfortunately, in ending the Bute House Agreement in the manner that I did, I clearly underestimated the level of hurt and upset that caused Green colleagues.
"For a minority government to be able to govern effectively and efficiently, trust with working with the opposition is clearly fundamental."
"I have concluded that repairing our relationship across the political divide can only be done with someone else at the helm," Yousaf said.
Yousaf said he would remain as first minister until the SNP elected a successor as its leader.
"As a young boy, born and raised in Scotland, I could never have dreamt that one day I would have the privilege of leading my country," Yousaf said in his resignation speech. "People like me were not in positions of political influence, let alone leading governments when I was younger."
"We now live in a UK that has a British Hindu prime minister, a Muslim mayor of London, a Black Welsh first minister and, for a little while longer, a Scots Asian first minister."
How did things go wrong?
The rift with the Greens came after a dispute over climate change, with Yousef having ditched Scotland's goal of cutting carbon emissions by 75% by 2030.
While Yousaf had hoped to lead a minority government, opposition parties moved quickly to say they would not support him.
The SNP-Green deal, known as the Bute House Agreement after Yousaf's official residence in Edinburgh, was signed in 2021.
It put the Green Party into government for the first time anywhere in the UK, where devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have limited powers. Areas of competence include environment, health, transport, and social policy.
The SNP has struggled in the wake of the resignation last year of party leader Nicola Sturgeon. The party elected 39-year-old Yousaf as her successor but his political honeymoon was short.
A campaign finance scandal surfaced that was rooted in Sturgeon's time in office, and the party has been dogged by infighting over how progressive it should be on issues such as transgender rights.
rc/wd (AFP, Reuters, dpa)
Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf has resigned ahead of two no-confidence votes that could bring down his Scottish National Party-led government. The move comes after he ended a cooperation agreement with the Greens.
Scottish leader Humza Yousaf on Monday announced his resignation as the possibility he might scrape a win in two no-confidence votes appeared to wane.
Yousaf's leadership was plunged into trouble last week when he ended a cooperation agreement between his Scottish National Party (SNP) and Scotland's Green Party.
What did the SNP leader say?
The first minister said he had not realized how much upset ending the deal, known as the Bute House Agreement, would generate. He said he needed to step aside so that bridges could be rebuilt.
"My hope was to continue working with the Greens in a less formal arrangement as the SNP moved into a new phase of minority government. Unfortunately, in ending the Bute House Agreement in the manner that I did, I clearly underestimated the level of hurt and upset that caused Green colleagues.
"For a minority government to be able to govern effectively and efficiently, trust with working with the opposition is clearly fundamental."
"I have concluded that repairing our relationship across the political divide can only be done with someone else at the helm," Yousaf said.
Yousaf said he would remain as first minister until the SNP elected a successor as its leader.
"As a young boy, born and raised in Scotland, I could never have dreamt that one day I would have the privilege of leading my country," Yousaf said in his resignation speech. "People like me were not in positions of political influence, let alone leading governments when I was younger."
"We now live in a UK that has a British Hindu prime minister, a Muslim mayor of London, a Black Welsh first minister and, for a little while longer, a Scots Asian first minister."
How did things go wrong?
The rift with the Greens came after a dispute over climate change, with Yousef having ditched Scotland's goal of cutting carbon emissions by 75% by 2030.
While Yousaf had hoped to lead a minority government, opposition parties moved quickly to say they would not support him.
The SNP-Green deal, known as the Bute House Agreement after Yousaf's official residence in Edinburgh, was signed in 2021.
It put the Green Party into government for the first time anywhere in the UK, where devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have limited powers. Areas of competence include environment, health, transport, and social policy.
The SNP has struggled in the wake of the resignation last year of party leader Nicola Sturgeon. The party elected 39-year-old Yousaf as her successor but his political honeymoon was short.
A campaign finance scandal surfaced that was rooted in Sturgeon's time in office, and the party has been dogged by infighting over how progressive it should be on issues such as transgender rights.
rc/wd (AFP, Reuters, dpa)
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez says he will not resign
April 29, 2024
The announcement comes after Sanchez had canceled appointments last week amid corruption allegations against his wife. He has vowed to end "toxic" politics.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced on Monday that he planned to stay in his role, despite allegations against his wife Begona Gomez.
The news came after five days of silence that began when a court said it was investigating his wife for corruption and other charges.
What the Spanish prime minister said
"I have decided to continue with even more strength, if possible, at the helm of the government of Spain," Sanchez said in a televised speech.
The premier said an apparent campaign against him and his wife was serious, but that it was not the most important thing.
Sanchez said a mass show of public support and the backing of his own party had helped make his decision.
"For too long we've let this filth corrupt our political and public life with toxic methods that were unimaginable just a few years ago... Do we really want this for Spain?" he asked.
"I have acted out of a clear conviction: either we say 'enough is enough' or this degradation of public life will define our future and condemn us as a country."
Sanchez had said last Wednesday that he was considering stepping down, in a surprise move.
The leader of Spain's socialist PSOE party had then canceled all appointments and said he would announce his decision on Monday.
Why was Sanchez considering quitting?
The allegations against Gomez, who does not hold public office, came from the right-wing Manos Limpias (Clean Hands) organization, which accused her of peddling influence and corruption in business.
Sanchez had posted a letter on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, saying he needed to think about whether it was worthwhile continuing in his role.
He blamed the investigation on online news sites politically aligned with the leading opposition center-right Popular Party (PP) and the far-right Vox party.
Sanchez accused opposition leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo of the PP and Vox leader Santiago Abascal of "trying to dehumanize and delegitimize the political adversary through actions that are as scandalous as they are false."
The 52-year-old Sanchez, in office since 2018, was reappointed to another term in November.
Thousands took to the streets in Madrid and other cities on the weekend to demonstrate in favor of Sanchez remaining in office.
Demonstrators carried placards with messages such as "Sanchez, yes, keep going" or "Don't give up."
rc/wd (dpa, Reuters, AFP)
The announcement comes after Sanchez had canceled appointments last week amid corruption allegations against his wife. He has vowed to end "toxic" politics.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced on Monday that he planned to stay in his role, despite allegations against his wife Begona Gomez.
The news came after five days of silence that began when a court said it was investigating his wife for corruption and other charges.
What the Spanish prime minister said
"I have decided to continue with even more strength, if possible, at the helm of the government of Spain," Sanchez said in a televised speech.
The premier said an apparent campaign against him and his wife was serious, but that it was not the most important thing.
Sanchez said a mass show of public support and the backing of his own party had helped make his decision.
"For too long we've let this filth corrupt our political and public life with toxic methods that were unimaginable just a few years ago... Do we really want this for Spain?" he asked.
"I have acted out of a clear conviction: either we say 'enough is enough' or this degradation of public life will define our future and condemn us as a country."
Sanchez had said last Wednesday that he was considering stepping down, in a surprise move.
The leader of Spain's socialist PSOE party had then canceled all appointments and said he would announce his decision on Monday.
Why was Sanchez considering quitting?
The allegations against Gomez, who does not hold public office, came from the right-wing Manos Limpias (Clean Hands) organization, which accused her of peddling influence and corruption in business.
Sanchez had posted a letter on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, saying he needed to think about whether it was worthwhile continuing in his role.
He blamed the investigation on online news sites politically aligned with the leading opposition center-right Popular Party (PP) and the far-right Vox party.
Sanchez accused opposition leader Alberto Nunez Feijoo of the PP and Vox leader Santiago Abascal of "trying to dehumanize and delegitimize the political adversary through actions that are as scandalous as they are false."
The 52-year-old Sanchez, in office since 2018, was reappointed to another term in November.
Thousands took to the streets in Madrid and other cities on the weekend to demonstrate in favor of Sanchez remaining in office.
Demonstrators carried placards with messages such as "Sanchez, yes, keep going" or "Don't give up."
rc/wd (dpa, Reuters, AFP)
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