Nicola Sturgeon has ended her silence following a press conference this morning where she announced she would resign as First Minister of Scotland.
Ms Sturgeon took to Twitter shortly after 4pm today, where she addressed all the people of Scotland, "whether they voted for her or not", to say that being First Minister had been "the privilege of her life".
After almost nine years, she took the decision to stand down, saying it was a decision she had been considering for a number of weeks.
Her tweet said: "To all the people of Scotland - whether you 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 close. Thank you from the bottom of my heart."
Ms Sturgeon will stay in power until the SNP appoint her successor and said she plans to carry on as an MSP until at least the next election.
In a press conference at Bute House, Ms Sturgeon said she had instructed the party's national secretary to begin the process of finding her successor.
She said: "I am proud to stand here as the first female and longest serving incumbent of this office and I am very proud of what has been achieved in the years I’ve been blessed to do this.
"However, since the very first moment in the job, I have believed that part of serving well would be to know, almost instinctively, when the time is right, to make way for someone else.
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"And when that time came, to have the courage to do so, even if to many across the country and in my party, might feel it too soon. In my head and in my heart I know that time is now. That it is right for me, for my party and for the country. And so today I am announcing my intention to step down as First Minister and leader of my party.”
Ms Sturgeon said her resignation as First Minister "frees the SNP" on the issue of Scottish independence "to choose the path it believes to be the right one without worrying about the perceived implications for my leadership".
Ms Sturgeon is Scotland's longest-serving First Minister and by far its best-known politician.
But she has faced growing criticism from some in her party after her plan to hold a referendum on Scottish independence was struck down by the Supreme Court.
And her domestic policy agenda has faced intensive scrutiny in the wake of her government's gender recognition reform legislation.
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