Scotland's independence party fails to win a majority in key elections

The pro-independence Scottish National Party (SNP) Friday secured a third term in government with an historic third consecutive victory in the county's parliamentary elections.

With all seats declared, the SNP had secured 63 compared to the Conservatives with 31, Labour with 24, Liberal-Democrats with five, and six for the Green Party.

However, despite their extraordinary performance the SNP failed to win enough seats to form an outright majority.

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SNP Party Leader Nicola Sturgeon called the results "historic."

"There are many results still to be declared but what is now beyond doubt is that the SNP has won a third consecutive Scottish Parliament election. That has never been done before in the history of the Scottish Parliament. We have tonight made history," she said.

Just 20 months after losing the independence referendum, the SNP has enjoyed a huge surge in popularity.

In contrast the socialist Labour Party, which had been the official opposition in the Scottish Parliament since 2007, scored its worst-ever result, losing out to the right-wing Conservatives for the first time in 60 years.

Labour leader Kezia Dugdale, conceding defeat, admitted the election was always going to be tough for Labour following last year's painful general election defeat. She blamed continuing divisions in Scotland over independence for her party's poor showing.

"I know that for some the constitutional argument remains the most important factor when casting their vote and my determination to try and move the Scottish debate on will have cost me and my party votes tonight," she said.

Mashable added to this report.

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