Nicola Sturgeon

**Nicola Ferguson Sturgeon** (born 19 July 1970 in Irvine, Scotland) is a Scottish politician. On 20 November 2014, she became the 5th First Minister of Scotland. She became the leader of the Scottish National Party on 14 November 2014. She was previously the Deputy First Minister of Scotland, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing, and Deputy Leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP). She is a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Glasgow Govan.

Nicola Sturgeon studied at the University of Glasgow and attempted to become a Member of Parliament at the 1992 and 1997 General Elections. In 1999, she became an MSP representing the Glasgow region. She became the Deputy Leader of the Scottish National Party in 2004 and because Alex Salmond was still an MP, she was the SNP's leader in the Scottish Parliament until the 2007 Scottish Parliament election. At the 2007 election, Nicola Sturgeon became the MSP for Glasgow Govan and her party formed a minority government with Alex Salmond as First Minister.

On 20 November 2014, Nicola Sturgeon became First Minister of Scotland, succeeding Alex Salmond, who had resigned after defeat in the Scottish independence referendum. She is the first woman to hold this position.

Sturgeon lives in Glasgow, with her husband Peter Murrell.

In March 2023, Sturgeon resigned as First Minister and was succeeded by Humza Yousaf. She said that her resignation was because of the emotional toll the role took on her and for the false internet rumours about her sexuality and personal life.

## Other websites

- Nicola Sturgeon's page at the Scottish Parliament Website
- Biography of Nicola Sturgeon on SNP website

## Infobox (officeholder)

- **embed**: yes
- **office4**: Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure, Investment and Cities
- **firstminister4**: Alex Salmond
- **term start4**: 5 September 2012
- **term end4**: 19 November 2014
- **predecessor4**: Alex Neil (politician), Alex Neil
- **successor4**: Keith Brown (Scottish politician), Keith Brown
- **office5**: Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing
- **firstminister5**: Alex Salmond
- **term start5**: 17 May 2007
- **term end5**: 5 September 2012
- **predecessor5**: Andy Kerr (Scottish politician), Andy Kerr
- **successor5**: Alex Neil (politician), Alex Neil
- **office6**: Member of the Scottish Parliament
for Glasgow Southside (Scottish Parliament constituency), Glasgow Southside

- **term start6**: 3 May 2007
- **predecessor6**: Gordon Jackson (politician), Gordon Jackson
- **majority6**: 9,593 (38.5%)
- **office7**: Member of the Scottish Parliament
for Glasgow (Scottish Parliament electoral region), Glasgow

- **term start7**: 6 May 1999
- **term end7**: 3 May 2007
- **birth name**: Nicola Ferguson Sturgeon
- **birth place**: Irvine, North Ayrshire, Irvine, Ayrshire, Scotland
- **signature**: 20200228180454!Signature of Nicola Sturgeon - Edited.png
- **party**: Scottish National Party
- **residence**: Bute House
- **alma mater**: University of Glasgow
- **website**: [https://firstminister.gov.scot/ First Minister of Scotland]


## Infobox (officeholder)

- **honorific-prefix**: The Right Honourable
- **predecessor1**: Alex Salmond
- **successor3**: Stewart Hosie
- **predecessor3**: Roseanna Cunningham
- **term end3**: 14 November 2014
- **term start3**: 3 September 2004
- **leader3**: Alex Salmond
- **office3**: Scottish National Party, Depute Leader of the Scottish National Party
- **successor2**: John Swinney
- **predecessor2**: Nicol Stephen, Baron Stephen, Nicol Stephen
- **term end2**: 19 November 2014
- **term start2**: 17 May 2007
- **firstminister2**: Alex Salmond
- **office2**: Deputy First Minister of Scotland
- **successor1**: Humza Yousaf
- **term end1**: 27 March 2023
- **name**: Nicola Sturgeon
- **term start1**: 14 November 2014
- **deputy1**: Stewart Hosie
Angus Robertson
Keith Brown (Scottish politician), Keith Brown
- **office1**: Scottish National Party, Leader of the Scottish National Party
- **successor**: Humza Yousaf
- **predecessor**: Alex Salmond
- **term end**: 28 March 2023
- **term start**: 20 November 2014
- **deputy**: John Swinney
- **monarch**: Elizabeth II
Charles III
- **office**: First Minister of Scotland
- **caption**: Sturgeon in 2021
- **image**: Nicola Sturgeon 2021.jpg
- **honorific-suffix**: Member of Scottish Parliament, MSP