Who could be the next First Minister of Scotland?

Who will take over from Humza Yousaf as Scotland's First Minister?

Following Humza Yousaf's announcement that he will step down as First Minister of Scotland, we examine the potential candidates for the top role.

John Swinney

Nicola Sturgeon's loyal deputy first minister, John Swinney, has revealed he is "actively considering" running to replace Mr Yousaf.

He expressed being "somewhat overwhelmed" by the number of party colleagues urging him to do so, including senior SNP figures such as Pete Wishart and former Westminster leader, Ian Blackford.

Mr Swinney brings a wealth of experience to the table, having been an MSP since the Scottish Parliament's inception in 1999, representing North Tayside, and previously serving the same constituency at Westminster in 1997.

Mr Swinney led his party in Holyrood between 2000 and 2004 during the SNP's time in opposition.

He has held numerous cabinet positions, including education and finance, and resigned alongside Ms Sturgeon.

Despite ruling himself out of the 2023 leadership race due to family commitments, the SNP politician could potentially step up to unite his party during this turbulent period.

Kate Forbes

Kate Forbes, the MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, narrowly lost to Mr Yousaf in the heated leadership battle to replace Ms Sturgeon just over a year ago.

As finance secretary under Ms Sturgeon, Ms Forbes has demonstrated her ability to navigate through challenging crises, stepping up to deliver a budget at short notice following the disgraceful resignation of her predecessor, Derek Mackay, in 2020.

Despite being a member of the Free Church of Scotland, Ms Forbes' initial leadership bid was fraught with difficulties due to her stance on social issues, which clashed with many within her own party, particularly her opposition to gender reform.

However, a significant hurdle in her leadership path would be the Scottish Greens, who have previously dismissed the idea of collaborating with her due to her views, making it unlikely that she could garner enough support to effectively govern.

In the previous leadership contest, Ms Forbes did not secure the majority backing of her own SNP MSPs but managed to win over a substantial number of members, narrowly losing the tightly contested leadership election by 47.9% of the vote compared to Mr Yousaf's 52.1%.

Mairi McAllan

The Clydesdale MSP is seen as a potential future leader, having rapidly ascended the ranks despite only being elected in 2021.

At just 31 years old, Ms McAllan would become the youngest first minister, but her portfolio in Holyrood indicates that she is already capable of managing a significant brief.

This rising star of the party was appointed as the minister for environment, biodiversity and land reform in May 2021, shortly after her election.

However, under the leadership of Humza Yousaf, she quickly rose to a cabinet post just two years later, taking on the Transport, Net Zero and Just Transition portfolio.

Her responsibilities were further expanded in February 2024 after Neil Gray was appointed Health Secretary. She took on the role of Wellbeing Economy, Net Zero and Energy Secretary.

In February 2024, Ms McAllan announced that she was expecting her first child, stating that she planned to take maternity leave in the summer with a scheduled return for March 2025.

Neil Gray

Neil Gray, with his wealth of experience, could be a strong contender for leadership.

He is believed to be Mr Yousaf's closest ally but may have the ability to unite Parliament.

A former MP, he became an MSP in 2021 and served as a culture and international development minister before being promoted to Economy, Fair Work and Energy Secretary about a year later.

He stepped up to become Health Secretary following the resignation of Michael Matheson.

Jenny Gilruth

Former teacher Jenny Gilruth, who represents Mid Fife and Glenrothes and currently serves as Education Secretary, is also in the running.

Her brief is one of the most challenging as she faces pressure to address the escalating issue of violence in schools.

She has also held transport minister briefs and served as Europe, migration and international development minister.