First Minister of Scotland elect its members, it is difficult for a single party to gain an overall majority of seats in the Scottish Parliament. The SNP gained an overall majority of seats in the 2011 election, and thus had enough numbers to vote in its leader, Alex Salmond, as First Minister for a second term. After the election of the Scottish Parliament, a First Minister must be nominated within a period of 28 days. Under the terms of the Scotland Act, if the Parliament fails to nominate a First Minister, within this time frame, it will be dissolved and a fresh election held.
Lorna Hood Edinburgh in 1978 whilst serving as Assistant Minister at St Ninian's Church in Corstorphine, Edinburgh. She was inducted to her charge of the North Parish Church in Renfrew in June 1979. In 2008 she was appointed to be one of ten Chaplains to The Queen in Scotland. Hood retired from full-time ministry in October 2016. Having led Renfrew North Parish Church for 37 years, she holds the record as the "longest-serving woman parish minister". On 30 October 2012, Hood was nominated to be Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland for 2013/2014; she was duly formally elected