NICOLA Sturgeon has claimed an "unequivocal mandate" to lead Scotland, as she challenged opposition parties to back her key election pledges.

The First Minister sought to quash any feelings of disappointment at failing to win a Holyrood majority when she hailed an "emphatic" election victory.

But in a statement delivered on the steps of Bute House, her official residence in Edinburgh, she acknowledged she now required the support of other parties to deliver priorities in health, education and other areas.

Confirming, as expected, that she will lead a minority government, she insisted: "The government that I lead will be inclusive.

"It will deliver on the commitments we made to the Scottish people - but it will also reach out and seek to work with others across the parliament to find common ground and build consensus."

The election result, which left the Nationalists two seats short of an overall majority, means the inevitable return of deal-making and horse-trading to politics at Holyrood.

SNP sources sought to play down the significance of the shift, referring to the party's first term in office from 2007 to 2011.

One insider said: "We did it with 47 MSPs after 2007 so with 63 it will be a different ball game".

However, the SNP will require the backing of at least one other party for all its legislation and initiatives, and will have to make compromises to guarantee opposition votes.

Ms Sturgeon's first major dilemma will come when the budget process starts in the autumn.

In her statement yesterday she indicated she would prefer not to rely on the support of the Conservatives, despite both parties opposing increases to income tax.

However, striking a deal with Labour, the Lib Dems or the Greens, who all favour increased tax, could force her to abandon some of the positions she adopted during the election campaign.

The results also leaves questions over the Scottish Government's controversial 'named person' child protection initiative, which opposition parties demanded be scrapped or put on hold during the election campaign.

Ms Sturgeon could also face calls to scrap equally contentious anti-sectarianism legislation aimed at football fans as the price for support on other issues.

Looking ahead to possible policy battles in the new parliament, she said: "Election campaigns inevitably focus on differences and dividing lines - but I believe that if we choose to find it, there is common ground aplenty to build on."

She challenged the parties to back her plans to close the attainment gap between richer and poorer schools pupils.

She said: "I made clear in this election that education will be the defining and driving priority of my tenure as First Minister and that I expect to be judged on it.

"Education is my passion and priority, but I was heartened that all parties chose to put a clear focus on it.

"So I hope we can put party differences aside and work together.

"Ensuring opportunities for all of our young people, regardless of their background or family circumstances is a cause that must unite, not divide us over the next five years."

Offering an olive branch to the independence-supporting Greens, whom the Nationalists sought to squeeze out of Holyrood with its "Both Votes SNP" strategy, she spoke of "stepping up our ambition to tackle climate change and protect our environment".

In a pointed dig at the Conservatives, the new main opposition party, she added: "And of course there is the SNP's determination to use new powers to mitigate austerity, invest in our public services and build a social security system based on the principles of dignity and respect is, with perhaps one exception, shared by other parties in our parliament."

Ms Sturgeon walked down the steps of Bute House to cheers from a sparse crowed of supporters.

The scene was in stark contrast to the jubilant greeting she received exactly 12 hours earlier when she arrived at the count in Glasgow.

Talking up the scale of the SNP's victory, she said the party has made history by securing a third term in office and the highest ever tally of constituency seats at Holyrood.

"The result of the election was emphatic - the people of Scotland once again placed their trust in the SNP to govern our country.

"We won a clear and unequivocal mandate.

"And I secured the personal mandate I sought to implement the bold and ambitious programme for government that I asked the country to vote on," she said.