Third Sturgeon government

In the May 2021 Scottish Parliament election, the Scottish National Party (SNP) won 64 of the 129 seats contested,^[4] and the incumbent first minister Nicola Sturgeon soon afterwards announced her intention to form a minority government. She was nominated for the post of first minister by a vote of the Scottish Parliament on 18 May, defeating Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross and Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie by 64 votes to 31 and 4 respectively.

Long standing ministers Jeane Freeman, Michael Russell, Roseanna Cunningham and Aileen Campbell did not seek re-election to the 6th Scottish Parliament, with Fiona Hyslop and Fergus Ewing standing down from government.^[5] This left Sturgeon with many empty posts.^{[citation needed]}

Shortly after being elected, Sturgeon re-appointed John Swinney as deputy first minister and also appointed him to the newly created Cabinet Secretary for Covid Recovery post.^[6] Humza Yousaf, Kate Forbes, Shirley-Anne Somerville and Michael Matheson all remained in government. Shona Robison and Keith Brown made a return to cabinet, having served in Sturgeon's previous governments. Only Mairi Gougeon and Angus Robertson were new to cabinet. The Scottish Parliament confirmed the appointment of ministers and junior ministers on 20 May.^[7]

In May 2021, both the Lord Advocate, James Wolffe, and Solicitor General for Scotland, Alison Di Rollo, announced their intention to step down as Scotland's top law officers.^[8] On 17 June, Sturgeon nominated Dorothy Bain to serve as Lord Advocate and Ruth Charteris to serve as Solicitor General. This is the first time in history both posts have been held by women.^[9]

On 20 August 2021, following two months of negotiations, the SNP and Scottish Greens announced a power-sharing agreement, the Bute House Agreement.^[10][11] While not an official coalition, it would be the first time in both Scottish and UK history that Green politicians would be in government.^[12][13] The Greens held two ministerial posts.^[14] The agreement will see both parties pledge for a second referendum on Scottish independence, an increase investment in active travel and public transport, enhancing tenants rights, a ten-year £500m Just Transition and establishing a National Care Service.^{[15][16][needs update]}

On 21 February 2023, Sturgeon chaired her final meeting of her third cabinet following her resignation the previous month.^[17] It was also Swinney's final attendance to a Scottish Cabinet, having announced his retirement from government after serving under First Minister Alex Salmond and Sturgeon from 2007 until 2023.^[18] Swinney later became First Minister in May 2024 following the 2024 Scottish government crisis that led to Yousaf's resignation.