Scotland’s Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon is stepping down after more than eight years. This was announced by the chair of the Scottish National Party (SNP) this Wednesday at a hastily called press conference in Edinburgh.
She admitted to journalists that she had been “wrestling” with her future for weeks. “I’ve been a politician all my life. Maybe I need to spend more time on Nicola Sturgeon as a human now. Does that sound selfish? I hope not,” she said, noting that “politics are brutal.”
When asked what had changed since she said she wouldn’t quit a few weeks ago, Sturgeon indicated that her decision wasn’t the result of short-term pressure. And then gave a deep insight by admitting that as a person and as a person she has struggled with “conflicting feelings” for a long time.
“I could go on for a while, six months, maybe a year. But I know that over time I would have less and less energy for this task,” Sturgeon admitted. “I owe it to the country to say it now.”
A key to their withdrawal may (of course) be their grueling fight for another independence referendum. This was also the aim of the press conference BBC on the motives for her resignation, which Sturgeon answered rather nebulously.
“There are things that she is very proud of and things that I regret,” said the 53-year-old, who will remain as an MP until at least 2026 until her successor in office and the Scottish Parliament is clarified. Sturgeon has been Prime Minister of Scotland since November 2014.
