2007 Scottish Parliament election

Electoral system and composition

The Scottish Parliament comprises 129 seats: 73 constituency members elected by first-past-the-post and 56 regional members allocated to produce a more proportional outcome. That combination of constituency and regional lists shaped the final seat totals and made coalition or minority arrangements likely when no party won an overall majority.

Results

The outcome produced a narrow lead for the Scottish National Party (SNP) in seats but no outright majority. Major party totals were as follows:

• Scottish National Party (SNP) — 47 seats
• Scottish Labour Party — 46 seats
• Scottish Conservative Party — 17 seats
• Scottish Liberal Democrats — 16 seats
• Scottish Green Party — 2 seats

Smaller parties that had representation in the previous parliament lost seats; notable among these were the Scottish Socialist Party and other minor groups that failed to return members in 2007.

Government formation and immediate aftermath

Before the vote, Labour led a coalition with the Liberal Democrats and Jack McConnell served as First Minister; information about that arrangement can be found at the coalition agreement and about McConnell at his profile. After the count the SNP emerged with the highest number of seats but short of the 65-seat threshold for a majority (an outright majority). The SNP subsequently formed a minority administration and Alex Salmond became First Minister; background on Salmond is available at his page.

Significance and notable aspects

The 2007 result marked a turning point in modern Scottish politics: it was the first occasion in decades that Labour did not top the poll in Scotland and it established the SNP as the largest party in the Parliament for the first time since devolution. The close distribution of seats produced a period of negotiation and made minority government the practical route to power. The election also highlighted the role of the mixed electoral system in balancing constituency wins against regional adjustments.

Legacy

The minority SNP administration under Alex Salmond set the stage for subsequent debates about Scotland's constitutional future and for later electoral contests. The loss of seats by smaller parties reshaped the parliamentary arithmetic and concentrated attention on the main parties' ability to command support on key legislation. For further detail on the parties and results consult the official materials and contemporary analyses available via parliamentary resources and archived coverage of the campaign at the 2007 election page.

Additional context: the contest underscored how coalition arrangements, like the one Labour had with the Liberal Democrats (Scottish Liberal Democrats), can change after an election, and how leadership figures such as Jack McConnell (McConnell) and Alex Salmond (Salmond) influence negotiation and policy direction.