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LONDON: An independent Scotland could remove the monarchy as its head of state within five years of independence, according to the front-runner to become the Scottish National Party leader.

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf told that Scotland could replace King Charles III with an elected head of state.

Yousaf, one of the most senior Muslim politicians in Scotland, is favorite in the leadership election ahead of Kate Forbes and Ash Regan; voting opened on Monday to determine who would succeed Nicola Sturgeon as the party leader and Scottish first minister.

Yousaf told the newspaper he believed regional assemblies should begin discussing “what kind of Scotland” they wanted to see, and that it would not include the British monarchy.

He said: “Let’s also talk about things like the monarchy. I don’t know why we should be shy about that; I don’t think we should be. I’ve been very clear, I’m a republican. That’s never been anything I’ve hidden.”

Considering himself a “citizen, not a subject,” Yousaf added: “Let’s absolutely within the first five years consider whether or not we should move away from having a monarchy into an elected head of state.”

He noted that he was “keen” to see Scotland move to its own, new Scottish currency “as quickly as possible.”