<p>The Pakistani-origin leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) was on Tuesday elected Scotland's First Minister, the first Muslim, and the youngest-ever aged 37 to hold the post in the devolved region.</p>.<p>Humza Yousaf pointed to his fellow Pakistani-origin Opposition Scottish Labour Party leader, Anas Sarwar, as a “signal of progress” that the region’s two senior politicians are now of South Asian heritage.</p>.<p>After his election on Monday as leader of the governing SNP, Tuesday’s vote in Scotland’s devolved Holyrood Parliament was seen as a formality, in which Yousaf received 71 votes for First Minister, with all SNP members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) and all seven Scottish Green MSPs voting for him.</p>.<p>“It’s quite a signal of the progress that we have made as a country, as well as a Parliament, that two of the candidates putting themselves forward are from minority ethnic communities,” said Yousaf.</p>.<p>"You try telling that to 16-year-old Humza Yousaf, who post 9/11 was questioned constantly about his loyalty to this country. We have, presiding officer, collectively come a long way," he said, with reference to his distinction as the first-ever Muslim to lead a western democratic nation.</p>.<p>It followed outgoing First Minister Nicola Sturgeon formally resigning for Yousaf's name to now be submitted to King Charles III, with a formal session to swear him in scheduled at the Court of Session in Edinburgh on Wednesday.</p>.<p>“Congratulations to Humza Yousaf on his historic nomination to become Scotland's new First Minister. First Scots-Asian nominated as First Minister; First Muslim leader of any western democracy; First child descended from immigrants nominated as First Minister,” the SNP said in a tweet.</p>.<p>Making his pitch to MSPs as his family looked on in the Scottish Parliament, the new First Minister leader said: “This Parliament has just given me the opportunity to help steer this nation’s course as we make the next stage of that journey together.</p>.<p>“Doing that will be the honour and the privilege of my life. I will strive every single minute of every day to be worthy of it.”</p>.<p>Scottish Conservative Party leader Douglas Ross, Labour’s Sarwar, and Lib Dem Alex Cole-Hamilton also stood to be First Minister.</p>.<p>Sarwar repeated his call for a fresh election, saying Yousaf did not have a mandate: “Only through a change of government will we be able to truly deliver the better governance that Scotland needs.”</p>.<p>Yousaf responded by stressing a shared appetite for politics that is less polarised and less confrontational as he made an open offer to other party leaders to work together where they can.</p>.<p>Seen as a continuity candidate in line with their predecessor Sturgeon’s policies, Yousaf now faces the key challenges of defining a clear plan for the independence of Scotland, which the SNP campaigns for, progressing with controversial gender recognition reforms, and alleviating the cost-of-living crisis.</p>
<p>The Pakistani-origin leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) was on Tuesday elected Scotland's First Minister, the first Muslim, and the youngest-ever aged 37 to hold the post in the devolved region.</p>.<p>Humza Yousaf pointed to his fellow Pakistani-origin Opposition Scottish Labour Party leader, Anas Sarwar, as a “signal of progress” that the region’s two senior politicians are now of South Asian heritage.</p>.<p>After his election on Monday as leader of the governing SNP, Tuesday’s vote in Scotland’s devolved Holyrood Parliament was seen as a formality, in which Yousaf received 71 votes for First Minister, with all SNP members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) and all seven Scottish Green MSPs voting for him.</p>.<p>“It’s quite a signal of the progress that we have made as a country, as well as a Parliament, that two of the candidates putting themselves forward are from minority ethnic communities,” said Yousaf.</p>.<p>"You try telling that to 16-year-old Humza Yousaf, who post 9/11 was questioned constantly about his loyalty to this country. We have, presiding officer, collectively come a long way," he said, with reference to his distinction as the first-ever Muslim to lead a western democratic nation.</p>.<p>It followed outgoing First Minister Nicola Sturgeon formally resigning for Yousaf's name to now be submitted to King Charles III, with a formal session to swear him in scheduled at the Court of Session in Edinburgh on Wednesday.</p>.<p>“Congratulations to Humza Yousaf on his historic nomination to become Scotland's new First Minister. First Scots-Asian nominated as First Minister; First Muslim leader of any western democracy; First child descended from immigrants nominated as First Minister,” the SNP said in a tweet.</p>.<p>Making his pitch to MSPs as his family looked on in the Scottish Parliament, the new First Minister leader said: “This Parliament has just given me the opportunity to help steer this nation’s course as we make the next stage of that journey together.</p>.<p>“Doing that will be the honour and the privilege of my life. I will strive every single minute of every day to be worthy of it.”</p>.<p>Scottish Conservative Party leader Douglas Ross, Labour’s Sarwar, and Lib Dem Alex Cole-Hamilton also stood to be First Minister.</p>.<p>Sarwar repeated his call for a fresh election, saying Yousaf did not have a mandate: “Only through a change of government will we be able to truly deliver the better governance that Scotland needs.”</p>.<p>Yousaf responded by stressing a shared appetite for politics that is less polarised and less confrontational as he made an open offer to other party leaders to work together where they can.</p>.<p>Seen as a continuity candidate in line with their predecessor Sturgeon’s policies, Yousaf now faces the key challenges of defining a clear plan for the independence of Scotland, which the SNP campaigns for, progressing with controversial gender recognition reforms, and alleviating the cost-of-living crisis.</p>