Humza Yousaf is a prominent figure in Scottish politics, having been the first person of Muslim-Asian descent to take up the post of First Minister of Scotland. Yousaf is 38 years old and is the head of the Scottish National Party, also known as SNP. Born in Glasgow, Humza is the son of Pakistani immigrants who made the journey from Punjab to Scotland in the 1960s. He was educated at Hutchesons’ Grammar School and went on to study at the University of Glasgow. It was during his university years that he joined the SNP and became the president of the Muslim Students Association.
Yousaf served multiple capacities in the SNP government and moved up the ranks, ultimately crowning himself as the First Minister of Scotland. He first began his political journey as an office manager for the now-retired Bashir Ahmad, who himself was the first Muslim Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP). Yousaf later worked with Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon, both First Ministers of Scotland. He was elected as an MSP from the Glasgow region in 2011 and took his oath to the Queen in English and Urdu.
Yousaf is now a prominent figure in Scotland, taking on his predecessor Nicola Sturgeon’s agenda of running an independence campaign for Scotland. With his journey to politics beginning from humble beginnings, Humza Yousaf sets an example for young, ambitious individuals.
The Scottish National Party (SNP) is the main centre-left pro-independence party in the country. Founded in 1934, the SNP envisions an independent Scotland, is a member of the European Free Trade Association and is committed to a socially democratic vision of Scotland. It is currently led by Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon and backed by a majority in the Scottish Parliament. The party is pro-European, advocating for Scotland to remain a member of the European Union.
