1999 Scottish Parliament election

Scottish Parliament election, 1999

6 May 1999 2003 →
elected members →
All 129 seats to the Scottish Parliament 65 seats were needed for a majority
Turnout	59.1%
First party Second party   Leader Donald Dewar Alex Salmond Party Labour SNP Leader's seat Glasgow Anniesland Banff and Buchan Seats won 56 35 Constituency vote 908,392 672,757 Constituency % 38.81% 28.74% List vote 786,818 638,644 List % 33.64% 27.26%   Third party Fourth party   Leader David McLetchie Jim Wallace Party Conservative Liberal Democrats Leader's seat Lothians Orkney Seats won 18 17 Constituency vote 364,225 331,379 Constituency % 15.56% 14.15% List vote 359,109 225,774 List % 15.35% 12.43%
The left side shows constituency winners of the election by their party colours. The right side shows regional winners of the election for the additional members by their party colours.
First Minister-designate Donald Dewar Labour

Donald Dewar
Labour

The first election to the devolved Scottish Parliament, to fill 129 seats, took place on 6 May 1999. Following the election, the Labour Party and the Liberal Democrats formed the Scottish Executive, with Labour Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) Donald Dewar becoming First Minister.

The Scottish Parliament was created after a referendum on devolution took place on 11 September 1997 in which 74.3% of those who voted approved the idea. The Scotland Act (1998) was then passed by the UK Parliament which established the devolved Scottish Parliament and Scottish Executive. The parliament was elected using Mixed member proportional representation, combining 73 (First-past-the-post) constituencies and proportional representation with the 73 constituencies being grouped together to make eight regions each electing seven additional members to make a total of 129. This meant that it would be unlikely for any party to gain a majority of seats in the new parliament and either minority or coalition Scottish Executives would have to be formed.