Salwan Momika

 Nicola Ferguson Sturgeon (born 19 July 1970) is a Scottish politician who held the position of First Minister of Scotland and Leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) from 2014 to 2023. She has been a member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) since 1999, initially representing the Glasgow electoral region as an additional member, and later serving as the representative for Glasgow Southside (formerly Glasgow Govan) from 2007.

In Office

20 November 2014 – 28 March 2023

Monarchs

Elizabeth II

Charles III

Deputy First Minister

John Swinney

Preceded by: Alex Salmond

Succeeded by: Humza Yousaf

Leader of the Scottish National Party

In office: 14 November 2014 – 27 March 2023

Deputies:

Stewart Hosie

Angus Robertson

Keith Brown

Preceded by: Alex Salmond

Succeeded by: Humza Yousaf

Personal Details

Born: Nicola Ferguson Sturgeon, 19 July 1970 (age 54)

Place of Birth: Irvine, Ayrshire, Scotland

Political Party: Scottish National Party

Spouse: Peter Murrell (married 2010)

Parents: Robin Sturgeon, Joan Kerr Ferguson

Alma Mater: University of Glasgow

Cabinet: 1st, 2nd, 3rd

Signature:

Born in Ayrshire, Sturgeon graduated in law from the University of Glasgow. She worked as a solicitor in Glasgow before being elected to the Scottish Parliament in 1999. Sturgeon held various roles as the SNP’s shadow minister for education, health, and justice. She initially entered the race for SNP leadership but withdrew in favor of Alex Salmond, choosing instead to run as deputy leader on a joint ticket. Both were elected, and with Salmond still serving as an MP, Sturgeon led the SNP in the Scottish Parliament as Leader of the Opposition from 2004 to 2007. After the 2007 election, the SNP became the largest party, with Salmond leading the first SNP minority government and Sturgeon serving as his deputy. From 2007 to 2012, she was health secretary, overseeing initiatives like the abolition of prescription charges and managing the 2009 swine flu pandemic.

After the SNP's majority win in 2011, Sturgeon was appointed Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure, Capital Investment and Cities. In this role, she oversaw the legislative process for the 2014 Scottish independence referendum. Following the defeat of the Yes Scotland campaign, Salmond resigned as SNP leader.

Sturgeon was elected unopposed as SNP leader in November 2014 and became the first woman to hold both the position of leader and first minister. She took office at a time when the SNP's membership was rapidly growing, a trend reflected in the party's strong performance in the 2015 general election, where they won 56 of Scotland's 59 seats, overtaking the Liberal Democrats to become the third-largest party in the House of Commons. The SNP continued to achieve electoral success during Sturgeon's nine years in office, though they lost 21 seats in the 2017 general election. Despite this setback, Sturgeon secured a second term as first minister in 2016, leading a minority government.

Sturgeon led the Scottish Government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, implementing a range of social restrictions and overseeing the vaccine rollout. In the 2021 election, falling one seat short of a majority, she became the first first minister to serve a third term. She then entered a power-sharing agreement with the Scottish Greens. Despite repeated calls from Sturgeon’s government and the broader independence movement for a second referendum, these efforts were blocked as successive Conservative prime ministers refused to grant a Section 30 order. From 2022 onwards, Sturgeon faced increasing criticism for her stance on gender reform issues. On 15 February 2023, she resigned as SNP leader, citing occupational burnout, and was succeeded by her health secretary, Humza Yousaf, the following month.