Nicola Sturgeon resignation: why now – and what happens next on key issues?

Independence campaign and gender recognition laws will be at top of successor’s in-tray

Nicola Sturgeon has resigned as the Scottish National party leader and Scotland’s first minister, signalling the end of a political era and triggering the SNP’s first leadership election campaign in nearly 20 years. After serving as Alex Salmond’s understudy and deputy from 2004, during which time she was the SNP’s leader at Holyrood, she was crowned party leader in 2014 without a contest. Her decision now to quit leaves a number of important questions for the party and for her successor.