The Scottish National Party (SNP) has set out its timetable for choosing a successor following the surprise departure of Scotland's Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon. Candidates can be nominated until February 24, as the party announced on Thursday evening. If there is more than one applicant in the race, the party members should decide. This vote is scheduled to take place between March 13th and 27th.

A special party conference originally planned for March 19, at which the party wanted to discuss its further strategy on the way towards Scottish independence, was initially postponed until further notice.

Several possible candidates

Reported candidates include former SNP leader in Westminster Angus Robertson and Treasury Secretary Kate Forbes. Sturgeon's Vice John Swinney and Secretary of Health Humza Yousaf are also considered candidates.

Sturgeon justified her resignation primarily with personal reasons and the high burden of the corona pandemic. In addition, she has become too polarizing as a person on some issues. She wanted to give her party and her country a new start, she announced. The 52-year-old will remain in office until the successor is settled.

Sturgeon took office in November 2014 after the Scots had decided against independence in a first referendum - but that was before Brexit. She is the longest serving Scottish head of government. She succeeded her party colleague at the time, Alex Salmond, who has since founded a new party.