Nicola Sturgeon's reputation has been tarnished as she faces criticism over the Scottish Government's handling of the Covid-19 pandemic and an inquiry into potentially deleted WhatsApp messages. Her leadership, once celebrated, is now marred by a lack of transparency, accusations of politicizing the pandemic to boost support for Scottish independence, and a perception of authoritarianism. Sturgeon's handling of the pandemic led to backlash, and even members of her own party expressed concerns about her leadership.