Humza Yousaf set to be formally installed as first minister of Scotland today

Humza Yousaf will become the first person from an ethnic minority background to be formally elected to the position of first minister in a Holyrood vote today.

Here’s how the process will play out today in the Scottish Parliament.

And how there could still be a shock, however unlikely, in store.

The rules…

First, there is no rule which says the leader of the largest party automatically gets to become first minister.

That’s why MSPs will still officially vote on who they want to see leading the country.

Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton intends to throw his hat in the ring and run against Mr Yousaf.

From a party of four MSPs, that will be nothing more than symbolic.

Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross and Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar will put themselves forward too.

This kind of challenge is not new. It happened in 2014 when former Conservative leader Ruth Davidson ran unsuccessfully against Nicola Sturgeon and gives the opposition parties a chance to speak in response.

It is unlikely anyone other than Mr Yousaf will win. His party has 64 of the 129 seats in Holyrood and the Scottish Greens have said they will support him.

Once Mr Yousaf has secured the votes he needs, Presiding Officer Alison Johnstone needs to officially recommend him to the King, who can approve the appointment.

And on Wednesday, the new first minister will be officially sworn in at the Court of Session in Edinburgh.

New faces on the frontbench

One of his first jobs as first minister will be to appoint his new cabinet.

Time has been set aside in the Holyrood diary at 2.30pm for this to take place today.

Two people we know will not be in this new cabinet are Ms Sturgeon and Deputy First Minister John Swinney, who have both said they will move to the backbenches.

One of the big questions will be whether or not Mr Yousaf puts his leadership rivals Kate Forbes and Ash Regan into government.

After winning the leadership race Mr Yousaf said Ms Forbes and Ms Regan have “exceptional” talent and will “continue to play a role in public life”.

Beyond that, the next challenge for Mr Yousaf will be his first First Minister’s Questions on Thursday, March 30.

Given how much opposition parties have criticised Mr Yousaf for his track record as health secretary in the past, the NHS could feature heavily in his first round of questioning.