Nicola Sturgeon, born on July 19, 1970, in Irvine, North Ayrshire, Scotland, is a prominent Scottish politician known for serving as the first female First Minister of Scotland and leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) from 2014 until her resignation in 2023. She was the longest-serving First Minister and the first woman to hold the position since the establishment of the Scottish Parliament in 1999. Sturgeon joined the SNP at age 16 and began her political career after working as a solicitor specializing in legal aid at Drumchapel Law Centre in Glasgow[1][4][5]. Sturgeon was elected as a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Glasgow in 1999 and held various roles including Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing (2007–2012) and Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure, Investment and Cities (2012–2014). She served as Deputy First Minister under Alex Salmond before succeeding him as SNP leader and First Minister in November 2014[1][3][4]. Her leadership was marked by a strong advocacy for Scottish independence. She led the SNP’s campaign during the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, which ultimately resulted in Scotland voting to remain in the United Kingdom, though by a narrower margin than expected. Following the 2016 Brexit referendum, Sturgeon became a key figure on the international stage, representing Scotland’s interests and pushing for another independence referendum amid the UK’s decision to leave the European Union[1][2]. Sturgeon’s tenure focused on issues including gender equality, climate action, and devolving more powers to Scotland. She hosted Gender Day during COP26 in Glasgow in 2021. In February 2023, Sturgeon announced her resignation as First Minister and SNP leader, citing a personal decision that she could no longer bring the necessary energy to the role. She was succeeded by Humza Yousaf[1][3][5]. She remains an influential figure in Scottish politics, representing the Glasgow Southside constituency as an MSP. Sturgeon is married and resides in Glasgow[5].