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The search for a new First Minister of Scotland has begun after Nicola Sturgeon’s surprise decision to stand down.<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
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The SNP leader made the announcement on Wednesday after more than eight years in the job. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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She plans to remain in office until her successor is elected.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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The SNP’s national executive committee will meet on Thursday evening to draw up a timetable for a leadership race.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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With no obvious successor, the party’s first leadership contest in nearly 20 years could see a debate on future direction and strategy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Possible replacements include Deputy First Minister John Swinney, Kate Forbes – who was finance secretary before her maternity leave – and Constitution Secretary Angus Robertson. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Health Secretary Humza Yousaf and Justice Secretary Keith Brown have also been suggested as potential candidates, but no one has yet signalled their intention to stand.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Ms Sturgeon made her announcement at a hastily convened news conference at her official Edinburgh residence, Bute House, but insisted it was a decision she had been weighing up for some time. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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She said that in order to serve well, a politician needed to accept when it was time to make way for someone else. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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“In my head and in my heart I know that time is now. That it’s right for me, for my party and my country,” she said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\n- Nicola Sturgeon says time is right to resign as FM<\/li>\n
- Who is Nicola Sturgeon? <\/li>\n
- Who will replace Nicola Sturgeon?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Ms Sturgeon said her departure was not in response to the “latest period of pressure”, which has included controversies over gender recognition reforms, trans prisoners and the strategy on independence.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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She emphasised the huge pressures and sacrifices that came with serving in high office, adding: “I am a human being as well as a politician.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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She intends to remain an MSP until at least the next Holyrood election.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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The party’s ruling body will now also have to decide on whether to go ahead with a special conference due to take place in March to discuss Ms Sturgeon’s strategy of using the next general election as a de facto independence referendum.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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The SNP’s Westminster leader Stephen Flynn, who ruled himself out of the leadership contest, has called for the conference to be paused until a new leader is elected.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n