Trent Wotherspoon has been elected as interim leader of the Saskatchewan NDP.
The provincial council selected the Regina-Rosemont MLA at a meeting in Saskatoon on Saturday.
“I’m honoured, despite the difficult circumstances, to accept the responsibility and to have the support of the party and the council here today to take on the important work ahead of us,” Wotherspoon said.
The decision comes as no surprise after the 10-member NDP caucus unanimously voted for Wotherspoon to lead the official Opposition just over a week ago.
Wotherspoon steps in after Cam Broten’s crushing election defeat and subsequent resignation.
Under party rules, the interim leader is allowed to run for the permanent leadership. But Wotherspoon has said many times that he is not interested because it is not the right move for his family.
Wotherspoon ran for leader of the party in 2013 but lost in the first round, with Broten the eventual winner.
There’s no timeline yet for a leadership convention.
With files from CKOM’s Sarah Mills