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Ms Sturgeon says it will be "an enormous privilege" to succeed Alex Salmond as SNP leader and Scottish first minister
Nicola Sturgeon is set to replace Alex Salmond as leader of the SNP and Scotland's first minister, it has been confirmed.
Ms Sturgeon is currently the party's deputy leader, and the country's deputy first minister.
She will formally take over the leadership next month, and will also become Scotland's first female first minister.
Mr Salmond announced he was stepping down after the independence referendum.
Ms Sturgeon was the only person to have put her name forward as a candidate ahead of Wednesday's 09:00 deadline.
She pledged to lead a "strong and competent government in a powerhouse parliament" and announced she would hold a series of rallies across Scotland.
New membersThe events will be aimed at the 50,000 new members the SNP has signed up since last month's referendum.
The tour will begin on 29 October in Edinburgh and end on 7 December in Aberdeen, and will include an event on 22 November at Glasgow's SSE Hydro, which has the capacity to seat 12,000 people.
"Our new members bring a new energy and dynamism - and not just to the SNP," Ms Sturgeon said.
"They are also a potent force who can help Scotland progress as a country. I am looking forward to meeting as many of our new recruits as possible and sharing with them my vision for the future.
"The tour of Scotland that I will undertake in the next few weeks also sets the template for the kind of first minister I want to be - open, accessible and determined to work with others across the political divide to find common cause and build a better country."
Ms Sturgeon later told the BBC she would have "relished" a leadership contest, but said she was "honoured" to have been chosen by the party as its leader.
Asked what she would do if the Westminster parties failed to deliver on substantial devolution, Ms Sturgeon responded: "If Westminster renege on those promises, then it is not a case of what I will do to them - it is a case of what the Scottish people will do.
"The Scottish people would ensure [Westminster parties] would pay a heavy, heavy electoral price."
Analysis: Andrew Black, BBC Scotland political reporterIt may have been more of a coronation than a competition but, after years of speculation, we can now say that Nicola Sturgeon will be the next leader of the Scottish National Party and, by association, Scotland's next first minister.
The "No" vote in September's independence referendum was a bitter blow for the SNP, but Ms Sturgeon is now trying to show her party's ready to move on from defeat.
How will she do that? First up, with a pledge to hold David Cameron to his word and deliver substantial new powers to the devolved Scottish Parliament.
Ms Sturgeon's also looking to capitalise on the massive surge in SNP membership - up from 25,000 on 18 September to more than 80,000 (and rising) - by going on a Scottish tour to show she's the leader, not just of her party, but of the whole nation.
One of her key headline dates will be an appearance at Glasgow's 12,000 capacity SSE Hydro in November, as the SNP seeks to show people that, despite the outcome of the referendum, the SNP isn't going anywhere.
Apart from that, Ms Sturgeon - once she is voted in as first minister by parliament - still has Scotland's devolved government to run and, beyond that, will be taking the SNP into the 2016 Scottish election, in which the party will seek an unprecedented third term in office.
Yes, there will be questions about whether there should have been an SNP leadership contest, rather than Ms Sturgeon standing as the sole candidate. In reality, there wasn't really any other name in the frame to succeed Alex Salmond.
Ms Sturgeon will also need to deal with the tricky issue thrown up by her opponents - the timescale for a possible future independence referendum, previously described by her government as a "once in a generation" event.
She's not ruling it out, but right now Ms Sturgeon says her main focus is on strengthening the powers of the Scottish Parliament and holding her old adversaries - the Conservatives - to account.
During Scottish Questions at Westminster today, Tory Minister David Mundell congratulated Ms Sturgeon, the first woman to lead her party, on following in the footsteps of Margaret Thatcher.
SNP Westminster leader Angus Robertson pointed out the key difference there was that SNP is Scotland's most popular political party, while the Conservatives, with their one MP, are far less so.
And that's the way Ms Sturgeon wants to keep it.
The new party leader will be formally announced at the SNP conference in November.
Ms Sturgeon's appointment as first minister still needs the approval of parliament, but the SNP's majority at Holyrood would ensure it goes through.
Speaking at a Scottish Trades Union Congress event in Glasgow, Mr Salmond said he had no doubts that Ms Sturgeon was "well capable of dealing with any events in the future".
He added: "But what I would like to say is congratulations to her, I think she will be an outstanding leader of the Scottish National Party and an outstanding first minister of Scotland.
"Of course that has to be elected by the parliament, but I think Scotland's first woman first minister will be an outstanding first minister."
'Quality candidates'Three candidates are vying to replace Ms Sturgeon as SNP deputy leader in a contest being decided by party members.
Scottish Transport Minister Keith Brown, who is seen as a front runner in that contest, is up against Youth Employment Secretary Angela Constance and SNP Treasury spokesman Stewart Hosie for the job.
SNP business convener Derek Mackay said he was "delighted" that Ms Sturgeon will succeed Mr Salmond as leader.
He added: "She will be a fantastic new leader of both the party and our country. She will build on the substantial legacy and extraordinary achievements of Alex Salmond as the longest serving first minister, and make her own mark as she leads Scotland forward.
"I am also delighted that there is a choice of three top quality candidates for the post of depute leader.
"The party is in great heart and relishing the opportunities ahead. We enjoy a lead in voting intentions for both the next Westminster and Holyrood elections, with a record number of members bringing new energy, commitment and enthusiasm to our ranks."
Mr Mackay said there was "deep disappointment" within the party at not winning last month's referendum, but said there was now "real focus" on ensuring that Westminster delivers on its vow to deliver extensive new powers for Scotland.
He added: "We can look forward with great optimism to our new leadership team taking forward this work in the best interests of Scotland."
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