SNP Wins Most Seats in Scottish Parliament Election but No Majority

Holyrood's electoral system combines 73 first-past-the-post constituency seats with 56 proportional representation seats, making an outright majority difficult. Swinney had aimed to win 65 seats to strengthen the case for a new Scottish independence referendum.

The outcome leaves open questions about who will become first minister and how any government will be formed. Turnout appeared lower than the record 63 percent in 2021, with polling suggesting a figure in the low to mid-50s. A record 4.3 million people registered to vote, but postal vote registrations dropped by 150,000.

Lower participation is expected to influence which parties successfully mobilized their supporters. Several prominent figures faced tight races. Labour's deputy leader in the Dumbarton constituency, held since 1999, was among those at risk, though she was likely to return via the regional list.

The SNP's campaign manager faced a challenge in Edinburgh Central from both Labour and the Scottish Greens.

The Scottish Greens expressed willingness to support an SNP-led government to maintain a pro-independence majority. Reform UK, which received just 0.2 percent of the list vote in 2021, sought a significant increase in representation this time. The Scottish Liberal Democrats targeted constituency gains in the Highlands and around Glasgow and Edinburgh.

The Greens focused primarily on regional lists. Both smaller parties positioned their manifestos as offering policy options for potential cooperation with a larger party.

In a separate election, a party newly formed by Indian film star Vijay won the most seats in Tamil Nadu's 234-member assembly but fell 10 seats short of a majority. The party secured 108 seats, ending the long-standing duopoly of the state's two established regional parties.

Vijay met the state governor twice this week to stake his claim to form the next government. The governor's office stated that the requisite majority support had not been established and requested proof of backing from 118 legislators. Some members of Vijay's party criticized the governor's decision.

Constitutional experts noted precedents where the single largest party is invited to form a government and prove its majority on the assembly floor. Vijay, a 51-year-old actor who has appeared in 69 films, launched his party in 2024 and retired from cinema to focus on politics.

His rise has drawn comparisons to earlier film stars who transitioned successfully into chief minister roles in the state. Five days after vote counting, no new government had been formed and various coalition possibilities were under discussion. " — Governor's office press release (BBC) Political uncertainty continues in both Scotland and Tamil Nadu as parties assess support for forming stable governments.