Nicola Sturgeon shocked everyone when she announced on Wednesday she was stepping down as First Minister. So who will step into her shoes?
Although Ms Sturgeon was the natural successor when Alex Salmond bowed out more than eight years ago, there is no obvious single candidate to take over from her. Deputy First Minister John Swinney has ruled himself out, but there are many others whose names have been mentioned in connection with the biggest job in the country.
It falls to SNP members to make the choice. They will pick a new leader for the party and that leader will then be endorsed by the Scottish Parliament as First Minister. Nominations for the leadership have already opened and those considering throwing their hats in the ring have until next Friday (24 February) to do so. The postal ballot of members will open on 13 March and close at noon on 27 March.
Edinburgh Central MSP Angus Robertson is the early favourite in the contest, but if Finance Secretary Kate Forbes decides to stand she will also be a frontrunner to succeed Ms Sturgeon. And after Edinburgh South West MP Joanna Cherry ruled herself out – she could not become First Minister as an MP – there is speculation that Edinburgh Eastern MSP Ash Regan could stand as the candidate of those unhappy about the gender reform agenda.
Here’s the run-down on some of the potential contenders with the odds from Betfair.

. Angus Robertson - Evens
Edinburgh Central MSP Angus Robertson, 53, was leader of the SNP's Westminster group for ten years before losing his Commons seat in 2017 after 16 years as MP for Moray. He was also one of the masterminds behind the SNP's first Holyrood election victory in 2007 and then in 2011 when the party won an overall majority. After being elected to the Scottish Parliament in 2021 he was appointed straight into the Cabinet as Secretary for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture. Brought up in Edinburgh, he worked for the BBC World Service before going into politics. And while at Westminster he was the party's long-serving spokesman on defence and foreign affairs. He is the most experienced candidate in the race and seen as one of the obvious frontrunners. Photo: Lesley Martin/PA

1. Angus Robertson - Evens
Edinburgh Central MSP Angus Robertson, 53, was leader of the SNP's Westminster group for ten years before losing his Commons seat in 2017 after 16 years as MP for Moray. He was also one of the masterminds behind the SNP's first Holyrood election victory in 2007 and then in 2011 when the party won an overall majority. After being elected to the Scottish Parliament in 2021 he was appointed straight into the Cabinet as Secretary for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture. Brought up in Edinburgh, he worked for the BBC World Service before going into politics. And while at Westminster he was the party's long-serving spokesman on defence and foreign affairs. He is the most experienced candidate in the race and seen as one of the obvious frontrunners. Photo: Lesley Martin/PA

2. Kate Forbes - 10/3
Finance Secretary Kate Forbes, 32, has been on maternity leave since the birth of her daughter Naomi in August, so the contest is not ideal timing for her. But she was named by Nicola Sturgeon as a potential future leader and is seen as one of the frontrunners. MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch since 2016, she was thrown in at the deep end as Finance Secretary, being appointed just hours before the 2020 budget after her predecessor Derek Mackay was forced to resign over a sex scandal. She put in a confident performance and is seen as extremely capable. Some have suggested her conservative views on issues such as abortion and gender reform, stemming from her religious convictions, could be a problem. Photo: Andrew Cowan/Scottish Parliament

3. Humza Yousaf - 15/2
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf, 37, was named a while ago by Nicola Sturgeon as one of the promising younger ministers who might succeed her. But his star has waned since then because of the NHS crisis, especially record A&E waiting times, which have seen opposition politicians repeatedly demand his resignation or sacking. He was the youngest MSP when he was elected at 26 on the Glasgow list in 2011, before going on to win Glasgow Pollok in 2016. And he is the first non-white and first Muslin cabinet minister to serve in the Scottish Government. After several junior ministerial posts, he served as Justice Secretary for three years, moving to Health in 2021. Photo: Michael Gillen

4. Keith Brown - 10/1
SNP deputy leader Keith Brown, 61, was in the Royal Marines and fought in the Falklands war; now he has the combined roles of Secretary for Justice and Veterans. Born in Edinburgh, he served as leader of Clackmannanshire Council before being elected as MSP for Ochil in 2007. He held a number of junior posts in the government before being promoted to Cabinet by Nicola Sturgeon in 2014 as Secretary for Infrastructure, Investment and Cities, moving to Economy, Jobs and Fair Work in 2016, then being elected deputy leader in 2018 when he left the Cabinet, returning in his current role in 2021. Mr Brown does not have a particularly high public profile but is popular within the party. Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Veterans Keith Brown is visiting the Veterans’ Community Café in the Stafford Centre, Edinburgh the café, which provides support and advice to veterans, he’ll announce this year’s round of support for armed forces veterans – with a range of projects across the country benefitting from a £200,000 fund. Photo: Lisa Ferguson