Nicola Sturgeon and the Scottish Parliament’s other party leaders have been sworn in as MSPs.
Returning and new members are being sworn in following last week’s Holyrood election.
Ms Sturgeon made an affirmation, followed by Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross and Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar taking the oath.
READ MORE: MSPs to be sworn in for sixth session of Scottish parliament
Ahead of affirming, Ms Sturgeon said the SNP “pledges loyalty to the people of Scotland in line with the Scottish constitutional tradition of the sovereignty of the people”.
I’ve just been sworn in for my sixth term as a member of @ScotParl - it is as much an honour and thrill today as it was back in 1999. My thanks to the people of Glasgow Southside for the trust you place in me. pic.twitter.com/yffRCfjicb
— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) May 13, 2021
Before making the affirmation, Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie said he would like to reassert that his party’s “allegiance lies with the people of Scotland who elected this parliament and who are sovereign, and we look forward to the day when they can choose their own elected head of state”.
READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon and Anas Sarwar visit Glasgow mosque as they urge safe Eid celebration
The oath states that MSPS “will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth”.
His fellow Greens co-leader Lorna Slater also chose to affirm.
MSPs are sworn in at the new session of the Scottish Parliament
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie was the last party leader to be sworn in and he took the oath.
Scottish Liberal Democrats leader Willie Rennie
The rest of the MSPs are being sworn in in alphabetical order.
Ariane Burgess, who gave her affirmation in Gaelic, said beforehand she believes “the people of Scotland are sovereign”.
Patrick Harvie of the Scottish Greens
A number of MSPs will take their oath in a language other than English, including Scots, Gaelic, Urdu, Orcadian, Doric and even, in the case of Zimbabwe-born North East Green MSP Maggie Chapman, Zimbabwean Shona.
The oath will be followed by the election of the new Presiding Officer, who will take charge of proceedings in Parliament for the next five years.
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar
No MSP has yet signalled their intent publicly to stand for the position, which requires elected members to renounce their party affiliation and act cross-party for the duration.
Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross
Parliamentary arithmetic could prevent some MSPs from putting themselves forward for the position, given the SNP is just one seat short of a majority.
If the SNP puts someone forward, it would drop further away from the 65 MSPs needed to pass legislation on its own – whereas the chamber would be tied if an opposition MSP takes the role.
Friday will see the election of deputy presiding officers, who do not have to relinquish their party affiliation.
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