Who is Humza Yousaf, Scotland's first Muslim leader?

For the first time in its history, Scotland elected its first Muslim leader, Humza Yousaf, who won the Scottish National Party leadership contest. Scotland's health minister is a Pakistani descendant's 37-year-old son. He won a race against two other parliamentarians to succeed First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who abruptly resigned last month after eight years as the party's and the government's leader.

The SNP members chose Yousaf over finance minister Forbes by a margin of 52 to 48 per cent after the third candidate Ash Regan was eliminated. Humza Yousaf, the winner of the Scottish National Party leadership election, was chosen as Scotland's first Muslim leader for the first time in the nation's history. Scotland's health minister is a Pakistani descendant's 37-year-old son.

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He won a race against two other parliamentarians to succeed First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who abruptly resigned last month after eight years as the party's and the government's leader. Following the defeat of third-place candidate Ash Regan, the SNP members picked Yousaf over finance minister Forbes by a margin of 52 to 48 per cent. His current task is to bring his party, the Scottish National Party, together while reviving the movement for independence from the UK.

Here's everything you need to know about him: 

Humza Haroon Yousaf was born on April 7, 1985, to Punjabi immigrants in Glasgow. His father, Muzzaffar Yousaf, left Punjab, Pakistan, with his family in the 1960s after being born there.

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He received private education at Hutchesons'Grammar School after attending Mearns Primary School. Yousaf chose to study politics against his parents' preferences for him to pursue careers as a lawyer, doctor, or accountant. He served as the Muslim Students Association's president at Glasgow University. He was well-known in the world of student politics.  Yousaf graduated in 2007 with a Master's degree in Arts. 

Yousaf has always been active in charity fundraising and other civic duties. He talked on behalf of Islamic Relief in the media as a volunteer. 

While attending the university, he became a member of the Scottish National Party. He actively started his SNP campaign in 2007 for the legislative elections, which led to the first SNP administration in the nation and his first position in the Scottish parliament.

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On September 5, 2012, then-first minister Alex Salmond appointed Yousaf as Minster of External Affairs and International Development, where he was responsible for external affairs, fair trade policy and diaspora. 

Nicola Sturgeon elevated him to Cabinet Secretary for Justice in 2018.  Humza has held the position of Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care since 2021.

• Ash Regan
• Forbes
• Humza Yousaf
• Muslim leader
• Scotland
• Scottish National Party