In the 2021 Scottish Parliament election, what kind of government was returned?

In the 2021 Scottish Parliament election, the Scottish National Party (SNP) was returned as a minority government. This means that the SNP won the most seats but did not achieve an outright majority of the total seats in the Parliament. The context behind this outcome relates to the political landscape in Scotland, where the SNP has been the dominant party for several elections, advocating for issues like independence and progressive governance.

The SNP secured 64 seats, which was one seat short of the 65 required for a majority in the 129-seat Parliament. This situation allowed them to form a government while still needing to work with other parties to pass legislation, reflecting a democratic practice where cooperation between different political factions can occur in the interests of governance.

A majority Conservative, a coalition Labour, or a majority Labour government did not materialize, as neither of these parties obtained the necessary support or seats in that election. This highlights the evolving political dynamics in Scotland and the SNP's ability to maintain a significant presence in Scottish politics, despite not achieving the majority this time around.