First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed that she will stand down from her position as leader of Scotland after eight years in the position.
The political figurehead has been the First Minister of Scotland since 2014, when former FM Alex Salmond resigned after losing the first independence referendum.
In a statement made today (February 15), Sturgeon has said that leading Scotland has been a "privilege beyond measure", and thanked the people of Scotland for supporting her decision to step down.
She also noted that her resignation would “free” the SNP to take a decision on how best to pursue independence “without worrying about the perceived implications for my leadership”.
READ MORE - Nicola Sturgeon to resign as First Minister of Scotland
Here are the key points of Nicola Sturgeon's speech where she announced her resignation from First Minister.
Nicola Sturgeon to remain as First Minister until successor is found
Ms Sturgeon confirmed during her resignation announcement that she will remain as the First Minister of Scotland, until a suitable successor is found to replace her.
Nicola has noted that she has instructed the national secretary of the Scottish National Party to begin the process of selecting a new leader, and confirmed that she would "remain in office until my successor is elected".
The 52-year-old added that she knew there would be some people who would “feel upset by this decision”.
She added: “And of course for balance there will be some who, how can I put this, will cope with the news just fine, such is the beauty of democracy.
“But to those who do feel shocked or disappointed, or perhaps even a bit angry with me, please… be in no doubt that this is really hard for me.
“My decision comes from a place of duty and of love."
Sturgeon to stay on as MSP until next election - not planning on leaving politics
Nicola Sturgeon has indicated that she will remain in politics, on the backbenches as an MSP at Holyrood. She also added that she plans to support Scotland's bid for independence.
She said in Scotland there are now “stronger protections for victims of domestic abuse, and Parliament will soon consider legislation to improve access to justice for victims of rape and sexual offences”.
Ms Sturgeon added: “I will be the strongest possible advocate for these reforms from the backbenches.”
And when it comes to independence, Nicola feels that stepping down will now "free" the SNP to make a decision on how to best pursue independence, "without worrying about the perceived implications for my leadership”.
Ms Sturgeon said: “I feel that duty first and foremost to our country to ensure that it has the energy of leadership that it needs not just today but through the years that remain of this parliamentary term.
“And right now, in a very particular sense, I feel that duty to my part too. We are at a critical moment. The blocking of our referendum as the accepted constitutional route to independence is a democratic outrage.
“My preference of using the next Westminster election as a de facto referendum is well known.”
Nicola Sturgeon's key reasons for stepping down
Continuing her resignation speech, she said being First Minister and Deputy First Minister is a “privilege”, adding: “But they are also really hard and especially in the case of First Minister relentlessly so.
“Now to be clear, I’m not expecting violins here. But I am a human being as well as a politician.
She added: “My point is this, giving absolutely everything of yourself to this job is the only way to do it. The country deserves nothing less.
“But in truth that can only be done by anyone for so long. For me, it is now in danger of becoming too long.
“A First Minister is never off duty, particularly in this day and age there is virtually no privacy. Even ordinary stuff that most people take for granted like going for a coffee with friends or for a walk on your own becomes very difficult.”
The First Minister also said that staying in the job can create polarising discourse, and that "fixed opinions" of her can have an impact on her political party.
Thanks to people of Scotland for support and love throughout her tenure
The First Minister concluded her statement by thanking Scottish people for supporting both her and the Scottish National Party throughout her tenure as FM, and before.
She ended her resignation speech by saying: “So to the people of Scotland, to all of the people of Scotland, whether you’ve voted for me or not, please know that being your First Minister has been the privilege of my life. Nothing, absolutely nothing I do in future will ever come anywhere close.
"Thank you from the very bottom of my heart.”
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