| MUBARAK | Egyptian president forced to step down in 2011 (7) |
| SOPHIA | Regent of Russia who, in 1689, was forced to step down in favour of her half-brother Peter I (6) |
| JULIANNEMOORE | US-born actress who became a 3/18 Down in 2011 to honour her Scottish mother (8,5) |
| ABDICATE | Step down, in a way |
| RESIGN | Step down, in a way |
| INTERPOSE | Mark disappears when Simon Peter is forced to step in |
| VOLUNTEER | Tune lover forced to step forward (9) |
| RECITED | Directed leader to step down, rejigged and improvised (7) |
| GAY | Harvard president forced to stand down in January 2024 (8,3) |
| CLAUDINE | Harvard president forced to stand down in January 2024 (8,3) |
| NASSERS | Egyptian president 1956 to 1970 and family |
| PEDESTRIAN | Boring President forced to tour America (10) |
| ANTIWAR | Egyptian president welcomes back Italian pacifist |
| AGNEW | Surname of the 39th US Vice-President, forced to resign because of criminal charges |
| CASTILLO | Pedro __, Peruvian president forced from office in 2022 (8) |
| TANGO | Dramatic steps taken to get Brown to step down? (5) |
| WEAPONSOF | Missing excuse, hiding nothing, no fuss, so America to step down when dismantled? (7,2,4,11) |
| MHAIRIBLACK | SNP's deputy leader in the House of Commons who is to step down at the next election (6,5) |
| AGOG | A government about to step down? Excitedly eager (4) |
| GRIDS | Prepares one to step down where lights are seen (5) |
