SNP leader says to form minority government after Scottish parliamentary election

The Scottish National Party (SNP) leader Nicola Sturgeon on Friday announced here that she will lead a minority Scottish Government after the Scottish parliamentary election results were announced.

Speaking to media in front of her official residence Bute House, Sturgeon called the SNP's winning of 63 seats out of the total 129 Scottish parliamentary seats a "clear and unequivocal mandate," ruling out forming a coalition government with other parties at Holyrood Scottish parliament.

Sturgeon said she secured the personal mandate she sought to implement the bold and ambitious program for government that she asked the Scots to vote for.

The SNP leader will ask the Scottish Parliament to formally re-elect her as First Minister of Scotland when it reconvenes in the coming days.

With the SNP two seats short of a majority, Sturgeon will need the support of other parties to secure her place as First Minister and to pass legislation.

She said the SNP government she leads will be "an inclusive government", being firm on its determination to deliver on the commitments it made to the Scottish people, while reaching out and seeking to work with others across the parliament to find common ground and build consensus.

Sturgeon noted that the SNP will make sure Scotland is a fairer society, describing education as her "passion and priority," and calling on all parties to put a clear focus on it. She also referred to efforts on climate change.

As for "Scottish independence", Sturgeon said the SNP's aim was "to persuade, not to divide," hoping to put party differences aside and work together.

Later, Scottish Conservative Party leader Ruth Davidson maintained a strong opposition after her party garnered 31 seats in the election, growing to be the second largest party at Holyrood, against the Scottish Labour Party's 24.

Speaking at a press conference, Davidson noted that the new Scottish government "will not be a majority government" as for the last five years, adding that "the SNP will be forced to listen, to learn and to improve."

She added that the SNP manifesto does not give Sturgeon "a mandate for a second independence referendum" and that "the SNP must now let Scotland move on" with no majority and no cause.

Davidson called on Sturgeon to lead a devolved administration and rule out another referendum after the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, describing better schools, a sustainable National Health Service and a growing economy as Scotland's "real priorities."

More than four million people were registered to vote in Thursday's fifth Scottish parliamentary election since the establishment of the Scottish parliament in 1999. For the first time in a Scottish parliamentary election, 16- and 17-year-olds were eligible to vote.

The overall voter turnout was 55.6 percent, higher than the 50.4 percent in 2011.

Source: XINHUA