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Humza Yousaf makes history as first Muslim leader of Scottish National Party

Humza Yousaf has beat out rivals to become the new leader of the Scottish National Party.

The results of the leadership contest emerge after Nicola Sturgeon announced she was stepping down after eight years on the job.

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf, 37, Finance Secretary Kate Forbes, 32, and former community safety minister Ash Regan, 49, had battled it out.

Lorna Finn, the SNP’s national secretary, stated that the total turnout was 70%.

Mr Yousaf’s took 24,336 (48.2%) of first preference votes. Once the second preference votes were redistributed, he had 26,032 which represented 52.1% of the vote.

The winner will now face a vote at Holyrood on Tuesday before being formally confirmed as first minister.

He became the first Muslim to be appointed to the Scottish government in 2012 and has been a perennial frontbencher in every SNP administration since.

Mr Yousaf has described himself as a practising Muslim, but says he personally supports gay marriage.

The leadership contest featured rows over religious beliefs, arguments about the recollection of past events, and widespread criticism of secrecy surrounding the vote.

The contest also led to a number of other resignations, including that of Ms Sturgeon’s husband Peter Murrell as SNP chief executive.

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