Scotland's SNP to search for new leader

The Scottish National Party (SNP) has a vacancy for a leader for the first time in a decade.

Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond announced his resignation following the outcome of the referendum on Scotland's independence, in Edinburgh, Scotland, Britain, 19 September 2014.

Alex Salmond will step down in November and his successor will assume the position of First Minister until the next Scottish parliamentary election in May 2016.

As Salmond's deputy, it looks likely that Nicola Sturgeon will be the one to pick the party up after a No vote for independence and help drive the promise of further devolution forward.

The SNP will nominate its new leader and second in command at its annual conference in Perth in less than two months' time.

Scotland voted 'no'

Scotland's pro-independence leader Alex Salmond said he would resign after losing a referendum that left the United Kingdom intact but opened a Pandora's box of demands for more autonomy across Britain.

Despite a surge in Scottish nationalist support in the final fortnight of the campaign, the anti-independence "No" camp secured 55.30 per cent of the vote against 44.70 per cent for the separatist "Yes" side.

After a campaign that fired up break-away movements around the world and stoked political passions across the UK, turnout was 84.6 per cent -- the highest ever for an election in Britain.

Process to elect a replacement for Salmond

• Alex Salmond will remain First Minister until a new leader is nominated. It will then be up to the Scottish parliament to agree with that choice.
• The First Minister is a member of the Scottish parliament and as such is appointed by royal warrant following a vote by MSPs to nominate the individual.
• Having received the royal warrant, the First Minister will be sworn in at the Court of Session in Edinburgh in front of the Lord President and other senior judges.
• The new Scottish leader will assume responsibility for the overall development, implementation and presentation of the Holyrood administration's policies and for promoting and representing Scotland at home and overseas.
• The First Minister will appoint other ministers, including a Deputy First Minister and cabinet secretaries, from among MSPs. He or she also recommends to the Queen the appointment of law officers the Lord Advocate and Solicitor General.