over the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill and an ongoing fraud investigation into the SNP. Issues Independence The SNP's strategy for achieving Scottish independence, the central goal of the party, is expected to be one of the main issues in the leadership campaign. There was considerable opposition within the party towards Sturgeon's plan to treat the next UK general election in Scotland as a de facto referendum on independence. Gender recognition reform As part of the power-sharing agreement with the Scottish Greens, Sturgeon committed to prioritising reform to gender recognition law, having delayed previous work on the issue due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This resulted in the passage of the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill in December 2022, which aimed to make it easier for transgender people to change their legal gender. 54 SNP MSPs voted for the bill, while nine voted against it, including Ash Regan, and one, Kate Forbes, did not vote. Forbes was on maternity leave, but was seen as less supportive of the bill. Humza Yousaf supported the bill. In response to the bill passing the third reading in Holyrood, the UK government issued a Section 35 order blocking the bill and the Scottish Government has yet to decide its response. The Scottish Government have until the middle of April to launch a judicial review of the Section 35 order. Conflict over the bill has the potential to jeopardise the SNP–Green power sharing agreement, as the Greens are strongly in favour of the bill. Two Green ministers in government have said they will resign from the Scottish Government if the bill is dropped or significantly altered. After Sturgeon announced her resignation, Regan and the SNP MP Joanna Cherry, also opposed to the bill, argued that former members who had recently left the party should be allowed to re-join and take part in the leadership vote. The proposal aimed at involving past members who quit in protest over the bill. The deputy first minister John Swinney said that the proposal was "preposterous" and that the rules were already determined that would only allow current members to vote. Out for Independence, the SNP's LGBTQ+ wing stated that they were "incredibly disappointed with the way this leadership campaign has been conducted and the tone and language that have been adopted toward the LGBTQ+ community." Campaign Nomination period The former leader of the party in the House of Commons, Angus