powers

• hires and fires cabinet members

  This means the FM can appoint MSPs they trust to run government departments but can also fire them if they are unhappy with their performance.
• hires and fires cabinet members

  For example, Shona Robison was appointed Deputy First Minister in 2023 by Humza Yousaf after she supported him in the SNP leadership campaign.  
• hires and fires cabinet members

  This shows the FM is powerful because appointing allies to key government positions will make it easier for him to introduce the policies he wants. 
• sets the agenda of government

  This means the government does not introduce new policies without the FM’s consent. 
• sets the agenda of government

  For example, in 2023 Humza Yousaf said Scotland would rejoin international studies that monitor countries’ progress in maths and literacy 
• sets the agenda of government

  This shows the FM is powerful because he reversed the decision of the previous First Minister as it was Nicola Sturgeon that removed Scotland from these studies.
• more media attention than other politicians

  This means the FM can get their message and the message of their political party to the public more efficiently than other party leaders. 
• more media attention than other politicians

  • For example, Humza Yousaf has over 200,000 Twitter followers almost 4 times the number that Anas Sarwar or Douglas Ross have. 
  • For example, in 2021 the Conservatives criticised the BBC for showing the FM’s Covid briefings, arguing they were giving Nicola Sturgeon too much publicity in the run up to the Scottish Parliament election.
• more media attention than other politicians

  This makes the FM powerful as getting their message out to more people will help them win more supporters and therefore keep their party in power.