Nicola Sturgeon will resign. What does it mean for Scottish independence? : NPR

Scotland’s First Minister and leader of the Scottish National Party Nicola Sturgeon speaks at a press conference in Edinburgh, where she announced she will stand down as First Minister.

Jane Barlow /POOL/AFP via Getty Images

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Jane Barlow /POOL/AFP via Getty Images

Scotland’s First Minister and leader of the Scottish National Party Nicola Sturgeon speaks at a press conference in Edinburgh, where she announced she will stand down as First Minister.

Jane Barlow /POOL/AFP via Getty Images

Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced her intention to resign after more than eight years as head of the country’s government.

At a press conference at her Edinburgh residence on Wednesday, Sturgeon told reporters she’d wrestled with the decision for weeks, ultimately deciding that someone else would be better suited to the relentless pressure of the job.

“This decision is not a reaction to short-term pressures. Of course, there are difficult issues confronting the government just now. But when is that ever not the case?” Sturgeon said, later adding: “The nature and form of modern political discourse means there is a much greater intensity — dare I say it, brutality — to being a politician than in years gone by.”

The decision caught many political observers by surprise. Just three weeks ago, Sturgeon told the BBC there was “plenty left in the tank” and was determined to win independence for Scotland.

Sturgeon stepped into the country’s top office after her predecessor, Alex Salmond, resigned in 2014 following an unsuccessful independence referendum.

Sturgeon announced her intention to pursue another independence vote in 2016 after the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union.

Her resignation will raise questions about the future of the independence movement.

“I’m not expecting violins here,” Sturgeon acknowledged on Wednesday, later explaining that she believed the country’s next general election would serve as “a de facto vote” on the country’s appetite for independence.

Sturgeon will remain in office until a new first minister can be elected by the Scottish National Party.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.