Almost half of the MSPs turning up this week to be sworn in for the seventh session of the Scottish Parliament are new to the role.
A total of 64 out of the 129 members have not been MSPs before.
Several have already served as councillors, but others are taking up elected positions for the first time.
Here’s a rundown on the “newbies” elected either for constituencies or via the lists in in Edinburgh and the Lothians.
1. Sanne Dijkstra-Downie - Lib Dem, Edinburgh Northern
Born in the Netherlands, Ms Dijkstra-Downie came to Edinburgh nearly 25 years ago as a student. She works as a fundraiser for charities that provide educational opportunities, and helped to establish an ocean protection initiative. She topped the poll when was elected a councillor for Forth ward in 2022 and was selected as candidate for the new seat of Edinburgh Northern last summer. The party made the seat its top target in the election. | supplied
2. Kate Campbell - SNP, Edinburgh Eastern, Musselburgh and Tranent
Ms Campbell has been a councillor for Portobello/Craigmillar since 2017 and served as Edinburgh's housing and economy convener when the SNP was the biggest party at the City Chambers. She was born in London, moved to Edinburgh in 2001 at the age of 20 and studied film-making at Edinburgh College of Art. She joined the SNP a few months after the 2014 referendum, campaigned for Tommy Sheppard when he was elected MP for Edinburgh East in 2015 and then got a job working for him. Her partner, Danny Aston, is also an SNP councillor in the city. | supplied
3. Simita Kumar - SNP, Edinburgh South Western
Leader of the SNP group on the city council for the past two years, Ms Kumar comes originally from Fiji and moved to Scotland when she was 17. She worked in public health for NHS Lothian for many years and was elected a councillor for Southside/Newington in 2022. She gave up her job and became a full-time councillor after being elected group leader, the first person of colour to lead any party on the council. | supplied
4. Pauline Stafford - SNP, Bathgate
A professional musician and deputy leader of the opposition SNP group on West Lothian Council, Ms Stafford grew up in Bathgate, studied music in Birmingham and went to the Netherlands to do her Masters at Utrecht. She stayed on working there before returning to Scotland in 2013. She is a classical pianist, most of her work being in chamber music and accompanying choirs. She met her husband at music college and they have two children at primary school in Bathgate. | supplied