List_of_First_Ministers_of_Scotland

List of first ministers of Scotland

List of first ministers of Scotland

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The First Minister of Scotland is the leader of the Scottish Government, Scotland's devolved government. The First Minister is responsible for the exercise of functions by the Cabinet of the Scottish Government; policy development and coordination; relationships with the rest of the United Kingdom, Europe and the wider world. The First Minister is a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP), and is nominated by the Scottish Parliament before being officially appointed by the monarch.

  • Top left: Donald Dewar was the first ever first minister of Scotland.
  • Top right: Alex Salmond was the first SNP politician to serve as first minister.
  • Bottom left: Nicola Sturgeon was the first female and longest serving first minister.
  • Bottom right: Humza Yousaf is the current, youngest and first minority ethnic first minister.

Currently, the First Minister is Humza Yousaf of the Scottish National Party (SNP), who succeeded Nicola Sturgeon in March 2023 following her resignation in February 2023. Yousaf has led the Government of the 6th Scottish Parliament since 2023. Sturgeon, and before that, Alex Salmond, previously led the governments of the 3rd and 4th Scottish Parliaments which was first elected in 2007 as a minority government, and re-elected in 2011, where they formed the first majority government in the Scottish Parliament.[1][2][3][4]

Sturgeon is the longest-serving First Minister, having surpassed Salmond on 25 May 2022.[5] Salmond in turn spent a total of 7 and a half years in the role. Donald Dewar was the first person to hold the position. Henry McLeish is the shortest-serving First Minister, having served in the role for 1 year and 12 days.

List of First Ministers of Scotland

The parties shown are those to which the first ministers belonged to at the time they held office, and the constituencies shown are those they represented while in office.

Political parties
  Scottish Labour Party
  Scottish Liberal Democrats
  Scottish National Party
  Scottish Conservatives
Status

  Background and italics indicates caretaker First Minister

Legend
  • — Indicates appointed without an election
  • (—) Indicates acting first minister
  • † Indicates died in office
More information No., Portrait ...

Timeline of Scottish first ministers

Humza YousafNicola SturgeonAlex SalmondJack McConnellHenry McLeishJim WallaceDonald Dewar

References

Notes

    Citations

    1. [1]
      Wintour, Patrick (4 May 2007). "SNP wins historic victory". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 23 March 2017. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
    2. [2]
      "Scottish elections 2007". The Guardian. London. 15 January 2008. Archived from the original on 2 April 2016. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
    3. [3]
      Carrell, Severin (6 May 2011). "Stunning SNP election victory throws spotlight on Scottish independence". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 5 December 2013. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
    4. [4]
      "Scottish election: SNP wins election". BBC News. 6 May 2011. Archived from the original on 12 January 2018. Retrieved 20 June 2018.
    5. [5]
      Duffy, Judith (25 May 2022). "Sturgeon sets new record for longest term as FM". The National. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 25 May 2022.
    6. [6]
      "Donald Dewar". www.parliament.scot. Archived from the original on 26 March 2023. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
    7. [7]
      "Alex Salmond". www.parliament.scot. Archived from the original on 26 March 2023. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
    8. [8]
      "Biography: Nicola Sturgeon". www.gov.scot. Archived from the original on 20 July 2022. Retrieved 26 March 2023.
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