Candidate for the leadership of the Scottish National Party (SNP) John Swinney gestures, as he delivers a speech to confirm his victory at an event at Glasgow University, Glasgow, Scotland, Britain, on May 6. [Photo/Agencies]
LONDON -- Scottish lawmakers on Tuesday voted for Scottish National Party (SNP) leader John Swinney to become Scotland's first minister, replacing Humza Yousaf who formally stepped down earlier the same day.
Swinney won 64 votes, guaranteeing him the required majority due to seven abstentions from the Scottish Green Party.
Swinney, 60, became the leader of the ruling SNP on Monday. As an SNP veteran, he had already led the pro-independence party from 2000 to 2004.
His predecessor Yousaf announced his resignation last week after losing the support of the Scottish Green Party, for ending the power-sharing deal between the two parties which allowed the SNP to rule as the majority in the parliament.
The SNP and the Scottish Greens ended their alliance amid tensions over issues including the government ditching its target to cut carbon emissions by 75 percent by 2030.
