Editing Scottish Greens (section)

==== 2021 Scottish Parliament election and power-sharing agreement ====
{{Main|Bute House Agreement}}
In the [[2021 Scottish Parliament election]], the party won a record eight Holyrood seats.<ref name=":0">{{cite news |date= 8 May 2021 |title= Scottish election 2021: Scottish Greens win record eight Holyrood seats in 'best ever' result |url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-57043738 |work= BBC News |access-date= 27 May 2021 |archive-date= 27 May 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210527071313/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-57043738 |url-status= live }}</ref> [[Alison Johnstone]] was one of the eight MSPs elected for the Scottish Greens in the election, however on 13 May 2021 she gave up her party affiliation in order to become [[Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament|Holyrood's Presiding Officer]] as the position is a politically neutral role.<ref>{{cite news |last= Grant |first= Alistair |date= 13 May 2021 |title= Green MSP Alison Johnstone elected Holyrood's new Presiding Officer |url= https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/19300517.green-msp-alison-johnstone-set-elected-holyroods-new-presiding-officer/?ref=rss |work= The Herald |access-date= 27 May 2021 |archive-date= 27 May 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210527071316/https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/19300517.green-msp-alison-johnstone-set-elected-holyroods-new-presiding-officer/?ref=rss |url-status= live }}</ref> [[File:Agreement_with_Scottish_Green_Party_(51390529191).jpg|thumb|267x267px|Harvie (left) and Slater (right) with [[Nicola Sturgeon]] announcing the SNP-Green [[Scottish National Party–Scottish Greens agreement|power-sharing deal]].]]

After two months of negotiations, on 20 August 2021, the Scottish Greens announced a new [[Scottish National Party–Scottish Greens agreement|power-sharing agreement]] with the [[Scottish National Party|SNP]] [[Scottish Government]].<ref>{{Cite news|date=2021-08-20|title=SNP-Greens deal pledges indyref2 within five years|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-58272209|access-date=2021-08-20|archive-date=20 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210820214628/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-58272209|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Davidson|first=Peter|date=2021-08-20|title=SNP and Greens negotiate deal to form power-sharing government at Holyrood|url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/snp-greens-negotiate-deal-form-24800309|access-date=2021-08-20|website=Daily Record|language=en|archive-date=20 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210820152445/https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/snp-greens-negotiate-deal-form-24800309|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Stephen |first=Phyllis |date=2021-08-28 |title=SNP and Greens strike a deal |url=https://theedinburghreporter.co.uk/2021/08/snp-and-greens-strike-a-deal/ |access-date=2024-01-01 |website=The Edinburgh Reporter |language=en-US}}</ref> While not an [[Coalition government|official coalition]], for the first time in Scottish and UK history it offered the Greens two ministerial posts.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Co-operation deal between SNP and Greens to be revealed this week|url=https://www.thenational.scot/news/19514400.holyrood-deal-snp-greens-detailed-week/|access-date=2021-08-20|website=The National|date=15 August 2021 |language=en|archive-date=20 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210820152447/https://www.thenational.scot/news/19514400.holyrood-deal-snp-greens-detailed-week/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Scotland: SNP and Scottish Greens' power-sharing agreement is 'groundbreaking', Nicola Sturgeon says|url=https://news.sky.com/story/sctland-snp-and-scottish-greens-power-sharing-agreement-is-groundbreaking-nicola-sturgeon-says-12386058|access-date=2021-08-20|website=Sky News|language=en|archive-date=20 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210820190959/http://news.sky.com/story/sctland-snp-and-scottish-greens-power-sharing-agreement-is-groundbreaking-nicola-sturgeon-says-12386058|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-08-20|title=Scottish Greens enter government as deal done with SNP|url=https://news.stv.tv/politics/scottish-greens-enter-government-as-deal-done-with-snp|access-date=2021-08-20|website=STV News|language=en-GB|archive-date=20 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210820152447/https://news.stv.tv/politics/scottish-greens-enter-government-as-deal-done-with-snp|url-status=live}}</ref> The agreement saw both parties pledge for a second referendum on [[Scottish independence]], an increase investment in active travel and public transport, enhancing tenants rights, a ten-year £500m [[Just Transition]] and establishing a National Care Service.<ref>{{Cite web|title=What does the SNP-Green deal mean for Scotland?|url=https://www.largsandmillportnews.com/news/trendingacrossscotland/19526477.snp-green-deal-coalition-mean-scotland/|access-date=2021-08-20|website=Largs and Millport Weekly News|date=20 August 2021 |language=en|archive-date=20 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210820152455/https://www.largsandmillportnews.com/news/trendingacrossscotland/19526477.snp-green-deal-coalition-mean-scotland/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=20 August 2021|title=Working Together to Build A Greener, Fairer, Independent Scotland|url=https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/agreement/2021/08/scottish-government-and-scottish-green-party-shared-policy-programme/documents/scottish-government-and-scottish-green-party-draft-shared-policy-programme/scottish-government-and-scottish-green-party-draft-shared-policy-programme/govscot%3Adocument/SG%2BSGP%2BTalks%2B-%2BDraft%2BPolicy%2BProgramme%2B-%2BFINAL%2B-%2BOFFSEN.pdf|url-status=live|access-date=20 August 2021|publisher=Scottish Government and Scottish Green Party|archive-date=20 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210820133736/https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/agreement/2021/08/scottish-government-and-scottish-green-party-shared-policy-programme/documents/scottish-government-and-scottish-green-party-draft-shared-policy-programme/scottish-government-and-scottish-green-party-draft-shared-policy-programme/govscot%3Adocument/SG%2BSGP%2BTalks%2B-%2BDraft%2BPolicy%2BProgramme%2B-%2BFINAL%2B-%2BOFFSEN.pdf}}</ref> The agreement was approved by 83% of Scottish Green members, and secured a two-thirds majority vote of the party's National Council.<ref>{{cite news |date=28 August 2021 |title=Scottish Greens back historic government deal |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-58360337 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210831165251/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-58360337 |archive-date=31 August 2021 |access-date=2 September 2021 |work=BBC News}}</ref> This was required under the party's constitution for the agreement to be ratified.

Academic Professor [[Nicola McEwen]] suggested that the agreement "sometimes pushes [the SNP] further" particularly on climate, social and fair work policy.<ref>{{Cite web |last=McEwen |first=Professor Nicola |date=2021-09-02 |title=Scotland's Green Party and National Party: a new agreement |url=https://ukandeu.ac.uk/scottish-green-party-agreement/ |access-date=2023-12-30 |website=UK in a changing Europe |language=en-GB}}</ref> She also argues that the two parties had already converged on many issues over the preceding decade. However, critics and supporters of the party agreed that the agreement had allowed the party to have a lot of influence on the Scottish government.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Anderson |first=Blair |date=2023-07-17 |title=Four steps we can take to grow the Scottish Green Party's success |url=https://bright-green.org/2023/07/17/four-steps-we-can-take-to-grow-the-scottish-green-partys-success/ |access-date=2023-12-30 |website=Bright Green |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Maciver |first=Andy |date=2023-07-31 |title=How did the Scottish Greens end up with so much influence? |url=https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/how-did-the-scottish-greens-end-up-with-so-much-influence/ |access-date=2023-12-30 |website=The Spectator |language=en-US}}</ref>[[File:Heat in Buildings visit to Western Villages.jpg|left|thumb|270x270px|Patrick Harvie visits a housing development notable for its use of [[heat pump]]s, 2023]]After the election of [[Humza Yousaf]] as [[Leader of the Scottish National Party]], the Scottish Green Party National Council unanimously voted to direct its MSPs to vote for Yousaf to become First Minister and continue their power-sharing agreement.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-03-27 |title=Scottish Greens unanimously back Humza Yousaf for first minister |url=https://www.holyrood.com/news/view,scottish-greens-unanimously-back-humza-yousaf-for-first-minister |access-date=2023-12-30 |website=Holyrood Website |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Stephen |first=Phyllis |date=2023-03-27 |title=Greens Council vote to support the Bute House Agreement |url=https://theedinburghreporter.co.uk/2023/03/greens-council-vote-to-support-the-bute-house-agreement/ |access-date=2024-01-01 |website=The Edinburgh Reporter |language=en-US}}</ref> During the leadership campaign, the party had suggested it would not support a government led by the other candidates.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Slater |first=Lorna |date=25 March 2023 |title=Lorna Slater spring conference speech 2023 |url=https://greens.scot/blog/lorna-slater-spring-conference-speech-2023 |access-date=2023-12-30 |website=Scottish Greens |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Harvie |first=Patrick |date=25 March 2023 |title=Patrick Harvie spring conference speech 2023 |url=https://greens.scot/blog/patrick-harvie-spring-conference-speech-2023 |access-date=2023-12-30 |website=Scottish Greens |language=en}}</ref> The party's co-leaders served as ministers in the [[first Yousaf government]] from August 2021 to April 2024.

In government, the party introduced the [[Cost of Living (Tenant Protection) (Scotland) Act 2022|first government bill]] from a Green Minister.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-10-04 |title=Rent freeze strikes right balance between tenants and landlords – minister |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/bill-patrick-harvie-scottish-government-government-scottish-b2195124.html |access-date=2023-12-30 |website=The Independent |language=en}}</ref> 
[[File:New_legal_targets_proposed_for_nature_recovery_(cropped).jpg|thumb|233x233px|Co-leader [[Lorna Slater]] (furthest right) announcing new legal targets for nature recovery.]]On 3 August 2023, [[Robin Harper]], the party's first MSP resigned, claiming the party had 'lost the plot'. Harper announced he would vote Labour in the [[2024 UK general election]].<ref name=":14">{{Cite news |date=2023-08-02 |title=Robin Harper quits Scottish Greens as party has 'lost the plot' |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-66389816 |access-date=2023-12-30}}</ref>  Nonetheless, the party also enjoyed an unprecedented level of support.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Swanson |first=Ian |date=22 August 2023 |title=Greens in government: Party accused of 'dragging down' SNP but Greens' own poll ratings are looking good – Ian Swanson |work=Edinburgh Evening News |url=https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/opinion/columnists/greens-in-government-party-accused-of-dragging-down-snp-but-greens-own-poll-ratings-are-looking-good-ian-swanson-4262733 |access-date=30 December 2023}}</ref>