Donald Dewar was elected as the inaugural first minister of Scotland on 13 May 1999, during an early session of the newly established Scottish parliament at its temporary home in the Assembly Hall of the Church of Scotland in Edinburgh.

Dewar’s election marked a symbolic moment in Scottish political history; he was installed as the head of the country’s first executive in almost 300 years.

It also arguably marked the culmination of Dewar’s life work. His contribution to the formation of the Scottish parliament, and role in leading it as first minister, earned him the title “father of the nation”. As secretary of state for Scotland, Dewar led the successful 1997 Scottish devolution referendum campaign and steered the Scotland Act 1998 through the UK parliament.

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The first Scottish Parliament election, held on 6 May 1999, resulted in a Labour victory with the most seats (56). But the party fell short of the 65 seats needed for an overall majority.

To form a stable administration, Labour entered into a coalition partnership with the Liberal Democrats, who had won 17 seats. The Lib-Lab coalition, forged shortly before the vote, created a comfortable majority in the new parliament and secured Dewar’s position.

The Scottish parliament officially convened, or “re-convened” in the words of the mother of the new house and Scottish National Party (SNP) MSP Winnie Ewing on 12 May.

Opening the session, the SNP icon declared: “I want to start with the words that I have always wanted either to say or to hear someone else say – the Scottish parliament, which adjourned on March 25, 1707, is hereby reconvened.”

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Under the rules of the new parliament, the 129 MSPs voted to nominate one of their members to be first minister. Opposition parties could and did nominate their own leaders. The candidates were invited to make two-minute presentations setting out their case.

In his address, Dewar said: “All my political life, I have worked with others to achieve this parliament. Many of my allies and many colleagues in that cause are here today.

“I am proud of what we have done, and I am proud of what Scotland has done. Scotland’s parliament is no longer a political pamphlet, a campaign trail or a waving flag. It is here; it is real.”

He added: “We are indeed a country with a past. The past has shaped us, but our task now is to shape the future. I hope that we can all co-operate to do that.

“We need a government that can deliver the priorities and the hopes of the people, which were defined by the votes cast last week in the elections to this parliament and by the popular will that carried the referendum – the popular will on which the authority of this parliament itself is built.

“Each of us is privileged to serve as a member of this parliament. I would very much like to serve Scotland as first minister.”

Dewar defeated the leader of the SNP, Alex Salmond, by 71 votes to 35. The Conservative Party leader, David McLetchie, secured 17 votes – while independent MSP Dennis Canavan won the support of three colleagues.

The result was announced by the parliament’s new presiding officer, former Liberal Party leader David Steel, and received with a standing ovation. The election was carried out using the parliament’s new electronic voting system – not without some confusion – but ultimately successfully.

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In his first speech as the newly elected first minister, Dewar said: “It is a great privilege to lead the first government of this parliament. This is a privilege that carries great responsibility and I have no doubt about that.

“The people of Scotland look to us to give them a better life and of that, I think we have a common aim.”

Salmond responded: “I would like to be the first to congratulate Donald on his elevation to the position of Scotland’s first first minister. It is no small thing to be the first minister of Scotland in its first administration for 300 years.”

He added: “In congratulating Donald today, I dedicate my party to being an innovative and determined opposition. In many ways, such an opposition is every bit as important to a new democracy as the administration itself.”

Wallace said: “I wish [Dewar] every success. I hope that together we will show that this is a parliament that can make a difference for the people of Scotland.”

Dewar received the royal warrant of appointment from the Queen at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, her official Edinburgh residence, on 17 May. The ceremony officially signified his status as first minister.

Dewar announced his first cabinet 19 May, which included two Liberal Democrat MSPs and two future first ministers in Henry McLeish and Jack McConnell. Jim Wallace, the Liberal Democrat leader, became deputy first minister and minister for justice; fellow Liberal Democrat Ross Finnie was appointed as minister for rural affairs.

The Scottish Parliament was officially opened on 1 July, with powers passed from Westminster to the new legislature under the Scotland Act 1998.

In his speech to mark the official opening of the parliament, Dewar thanked the queen for “the gift of the mace. It is a symbol of the great democratic traditions from which we draw our inspiration and our strength.”

He added: “At its head are inscribed the opening words of our founding statute: ‘There shall be a Scottish Parliament.’

“Through long years, those words were first a hope, then a belief, then a promise. Now they are a reality. This is a moment anchored in our history. Today, we reach back through the long haul to win this Parliament, through the struggles of those who brought democracy to Scotland, to that other Parliament dissolved in controversy nearly three centuries ago.

“Today, we look forward to the time when this moment will be seen as a turning point: the day when democracy was renewed in Scotland, when we revitalised our place in this our United Kingdom.”

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On 10 October 2000, Dewar fell on the pavement outside his official residence and later died from a brain haemorrhage, aged 63. The first minister had undergone major heart surgery five months earlier to replace a leaking valve.

In a statement released following his death, Buckingham Palace said: “The Queen and all members of the Royal Family are shocked and deeply saddened by the news of Donald Dewar’s death.

“His passion for Scotland and all things Scottish was renowned, and his contribution to the historic process of devolution in recent years has been immense.

“As her first minister in Scotland, Her Majesty has valued greatly his wise counsel and knows how much he will be missed in Scotland and wider afield.”

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