SNP Wins Fifth Successive Scottish Parliament Election

The SNP has won the 2026 Scottish Parliament election and will form the next Scottish government. The party took 58 seats, below the 65 required for a majority at Holyrood. It will need support from other parties to pass legislation and reinstall its leader as first minister.

" He added that the result put the party in a "commanding position" and that public expectation would be for him to continue as first minister and lead a government. Labour finished tied with Reform UK for second place on 17 seats each. Reform UK had not previously held any seats in the parliament elected under the current system.

The party performed strongly on the regional lists. A Reform UK spokesperson elected via the West of Scotland list said the party had aimed for more than 20 MSPs but would use the result to establish a base inside Holyrood. The spokesperson added that the party would act as "challengers and scrutineers" of the Scottish government and focus on devolved matters such as schools and roads.

The Scottish Greens recorded their best result with 15 seats, including first-ever constituency wins in Edinburgh Central and Glasgow Southside. The Conservatives dropped to fourth place with 12 seats, losing their position as the largest opposition party.

The Liberal Democrats returned 10 MSPs.

A majority of seats at Holyrood are held by parties that support Scottish independence. The SNP and the Greens together hold 73 of the 129 seats. The SNP leader had previously said that a majority for his party could open the way for another independence referendum.

The SNP gained the Shetland seat from the Liberal Democrats, which that party had held since 1999. It lost the Western Isles to Labour and also lost seats in Edinburgh and Glasgow. Reform UK's performance on the lists contributed to the SNP winning several constituency seats despite a lower vote share than in 2021.

A Labour spokesperson said the party had failed to overcome "a national wave of disappointment" and that the party was hurting. The spokesperson's deputy, who retained a seat held since 1999, said voter perceptions had been affected by the performance of the UK government.

A Conservative spokesperson who was returned on the West of Scotland list said the party was disappointed to lose colleagues even while retaining most of the constituencies it defended. The spokesperson noted that Reform UK's rise had helped the SNP in several seats.

A Greens spokesperson described the outcome as a historic day for the party after its first constituency victories and list representation across Scotland. The SNP is expected to return to government but will require support from other parties to pass legislation over the next five years.