SNP wins Scottish election but falls short of majority; Greens gain seats
SNP wins Scottish election but falls short of majority; Greens gain seats
SNP secures a fifth consecutive Holyrood win but will need allies, as Greens surge and Reform UK enters the fray.
Scotland's SNP has secured a fifth consecutive Scottish Parliament election win but falls short of an outright majority, finishing on 58 seats when 65 are needed. Labour and Reform UK each ended on 17 seats, tying for second, while the Greens achieved a record 15 seats, including their first-ever constituency victories. The Conservatives slipped to 12 seats and the Liberal Democrats won 10 in a results round-up that reflects a fragmented Holyrood.
With 129 seats in total, the independence-supporting bloc now totals 73 seats (SNP 58 plus Greens 15), meaning the SNP will need cross-party backing to pass legislation. Leader John Swinney described the result as a strong mandate and said he expects to be returned as first minister and to form a government, likely with support from allied parties.
The election reshapes Scotland's political landscape, introducing Reform UK as a new force advocating tax cuts and tighter immigration controls. The outcome confirms that Holyrood politics remains competitive, with both the traditional unionist parties and pro-independence forces jockeying to determine the next steps on constitutional questions and domestic policy in the years ahead.
Counting extended into the long hours, underscoring the scale of scrutiny ahead as parties negotiate potential coalitions and working arrangements to implement their agendas.
