Humza Yousaf Becomes Scotland's 1st Muslim Leader

On Monday, Scotland’s governing party elected Humza Yousaf as its new leader, making him the first person of color and the first Muslim to lead the country of 5.5 million people.

Yousaf narrowly defeated rival Kate Forbes after a bruising five-week contest that exposed deep fractures within the pro-independence Scottish National Party as it faces an impasse in its quest to take Scotland out of the United Kingdom.

The 37-year-old Glasgow-born son of South Asian immigrants is set to be confirmed as first minister during a session of the Scottish parliament in Edinburgh on Tuesday.

Yousaf, who currently is Scotland’s health minister, beat two other Scottish lawmakers in a contest to replace First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

She unexpectedly stepped down last month after eight years as leader of the party and of Scotland’s semi-autonomous government.

SNP members chose Yousaf over Scottish chancellor Forbes by a margin of 52% to 48%, after disqualifying third-place candidate Ash Regan in the first vote. Participation among its 72,000 members was 70%.

Yousaf faces the challenge of uniting the SNP and revitalizing the stalled independence campaign.

“Just as I will lead the SNP in the interests of all party members, not just those who voted for me, so I will lead Scotland in the interests of all our citizens whatever your political allegiance,” he said in an acceptance speech at Edinburgh’s Murrayfield rugby stadium.

Yousaf is widely seen as a "continuity Sturgeon" candidate who shares the outgoing leader's liberal social views.

Sturgeon, the formidable leader who catapulted the SNP to a dominant position in Scottish politics, has failed in her aim of driving Scotland out of the UK and has divided the party with a controversial transgender rights law.

The three candidates for her succession shared the goal of independence but differed in their economic and social visions for Scotland.