How the 2021 Scottish Parliament election reshaped the nation's political landscape during a pandemic
In short: Held under the shadow of COVID-19, the 2021 Scottish Parliament election saw record turnout and a historic power-sharing agreement. While the Scottish National Party secured a fourth consecutive term, the results revealed deep shifts in voter behavior and the emergence of new, albeit unsuccessful, regional list-only political parties.
The 2021 election, held on 6 May, was the sixth since the Scottish Parliament was established in 1999. Navigating the complexities of the COVID-19 pandemic, the campaign officially began on 25 March 2021. To ensure flexibility, the Scottish General Election (Coronavirus) Bill was enacted in January 2021, granting the Presiding Officer power to postpone the vote if necessary. Despite the challenges, the election achieved a 63.5% turnout, the highest in the institution's history.
The Scottish National Party (SNP) won 64 seats, marking a fourth consecutive term in government. Although they fell just short of an overall majority, the SNP later formed a power-sharing agreement with the Scottish Greens, who achieved their best-ever result with eight seats. This coalition solidified a pro-independence majority in the parliament, even as unionist parties maintained a slight lead in constituency votes. Meanwhile, the Scottish Conservatives retained second place with 31 seats, while Labour suffered its worst-ever result in a Holyrood election with 22 seats.
The election also introduced significant changes to the franchise. The Scottish Elections (Franchise and Representation) Act extended voting rights to foreign nationals and prisoners serving sentences of 12 months or less, bringing Scotland into compliance with European human rights standards. Approximately 55,000 foreign nationals, including 20,000 refugees, gained the right to vote. Furthermore, the political field saw the entry of new, list-only parties like the Alba Party, led by former First Minister Alex Salmond, and Reform UK Scotland, though none of these new entrants secured any seats in the 129-member parliament.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: 2021 Scottish Parliament election
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