US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said that she will not seek re-election for the leadership position in the new Congress but will continue in the House. Pelosi is the first and only woman to serve as the Speaker.
Though Pelosi didn't name her successor, reports claim House Democrats are likely to choose New York Rep. Hakeem Jeffries to succeed her. If Jeffries becomes the Speaker, he will be the first Black person to lead a party in Congress.
In a spirited speech announcing her step down, Pelosi said: "I will not seek re-election to Democratic leadership in the next Congress. For me, the hour has come for a new generation to lead the Democratic caucus that I so deeply respect." She added that "we must move boldly into the future".
She received a standing ovation when she closed her speech. Lawmakers and guests were seen approaching her, swarming her with hugs.
Pelosi's statement comes in the wake of the brutal attack on her husband, Paul, last month in their San Francisco home.
A California Democrat, she was the most powerful speaker in modern times and one of the most polarizing figures. Though she had held a seat in the House for over 35 years, Pelosi rose to the top of the House Democratic caucus in 2002 after leading Democrats against a resolution, authorising the use of force in Iraq.
Over the three decades, 82-year-old has Pelosi witnessed the highs and lows of her party, including its 257-seat majority after the 2008 elections.
Earlier, there were reports that President Joe Biden had encouraged Pelosi to stay on as Democratic leader. But after the announcement, he congratulated her on her historic tenure as speaker of the House. "History will note she is the most consequential Speaker of the House of Representatives in our history," Biden said in a statement, noting her ability to win unity from her caucus and her "absolute dignity".
