The Scottish National Party (SNP) has secured a fifth consecutive victory in the 2026 Scottish Parliament election, winning 58 seats but falling short of the 65-seat majority required at Holyrood.
Labour and Reform UK each won 17 seats, while the Scottish Greens achieved a record 15. The Conservatives fell to 12 in their worst-ever result, and the Liberal Democrats secured 10 MSPs.
Describing the result as “significant and emphatic,” First Minister John Swinney said “the public expectation” was now for him “to be returned as First Minister and to lead a government.”
The SNP leader said he would seek to “find common ground” with most parties, but excluded Reform UK, which he said held “completely different values.”
Swinney had previously indicated that an SNP majority could pave the way for another independence referendum. However, he did not emphasise constitutional change when asked about priorities for government, instead highlighting “practical support on the cost of living” and “continued improvements in the National Health Service.”
Twelve years after the 2014 referendum, in which 45% voted for independence, recent polling suggests support for leaving the UK is close to 50%.
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