Hamza Yusuf will step down from the post of MSP in the next elections.
getty imagesFormer First Minister Hamza Yousaf is to stand as an MSP in the 2026 Holyrood election.
The former SNP leader has been a backbencher since resigning as first minister in April.
In a letter to his successor John Swinney, Joseph said that the next election would be “the right time” to move on from Parliament.
Glasgow Pollok MSP, who replaced Nicola Sturgeon in March 2023, was the first ethnic minority leader of a devolved UK government and the first Muslim to lead a major UK party.
‘A clear message’
In his letter, Yusuf said he would have been an MSP for 15 years by the time of the next scheduled elections in 2026.
He said standing down would “give the next generation of MSPs the opportunity to step up, and find out how I can best contribute to helping tackle some of the most pressing challenges facing our world in the future.” Where can I give it?
He said: “I hope that by becoming the first minister of color and the first Muslim leader of a Western democratic nation, I have sent a clear message to every young person, of whatever background, who wishes to engage in public service “They belong and deserve the same opportunities as everyone else.”
After leaving office, Yusuf said that it was his mistake to terminate the power-sharing agreement with the Greens, and that he “underestimated” the level of damage caused by his decision.
During his tenure at Bute House, the former SNP leader took a significant early stance on the conflict in Gaza by calling for an immediate ceasefire.
His in-laws were trapped in Gaza for four weeks after Israel’s invasion – a period he described as the most difficult period of his life.
In his letter, Youssef said he hoped he was able to demonstrate “leadership during what I consider to be the moral question of our time”.
He vowed to continue working hard for his voters until 2026 and to become a committed campaigner for Scottish independence and the SNP after leaving Parliament.
