LONDON — Passionate, professional and a top-notch communicator, Nicola Sturgeon was not just the dominant figure of Scottish politics, but someone whose opinion poll ratings were the envy of fellow politicians during most of her eight years as Scotland’s leader.
So, her sudden and unexpected resignation Wednesday has raised an awkward question for her pro-independence Scottish National Party: If Sturgeon, leader of the Scottish Parliament, could not mastermind Scotland’s exit from the United Kingdom, can anyone else?