decisions in the SNP are taken by too few people, Kate Forbes said after the party was rocked by the resignation of its longtime chief executive.
Peter Murrell, Nicola Sturgeon’s husband, stepped down with immediate effect Saturday after an argument over party membership.
His departure came shortly after that of media chief Murray Foote, who said there was a “serious impediment” to his role.
Mr Murrell said he took responsibility after misleading information was passed to the media about membership numbers, but said there was no “intent to mislead”.
It comes amid the leadership battle to succeed Ms Sturgeon as SNP leader and prime minister.
Mrs Forbeswho is on maternity leave due to her government position as Minister of Finance, is confronted by the Minister of Health Why Yousaf and former Minister of Community Security Ash Regan in the match.
She told the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg: “I think the crux of this is the fact that decisions within the SNP have been made by too few people.
“I think that is well recognized across the political realm.
“SNP members want to know that our institution is democratic, that they can influence it, that they can shape policy.”
Ms Forbes also said the SNP needs to improve its ability to listen and deliver.
She emphasized that it was not possible to turn the A9 into a fully-fledged four-lane road, as the party had long promised.
Referring to the main road as the “backbone” of Scotland, she said: “We said we would double that, but we haven’t. We need to be able to deliver.”
She also said she would rule out further tax increases if she becomes prime minister.
Ms Forbes said there has been “quite a stunning level of scrutiny and perhaps backlash from some quarters” around her religious views.
She said other believers have held high office in the UK and vowed to make Scotland a “tolerant and pluralistic nation”.
In another interview with Sky’s Sophy Ridge On Sunday show, which was taped before Mr Murrell stepped down, she said she was confident in the integrity of the election process.
Commenting on Sunday’s interviews with Ms Forbes, Scottish Conservative chairman Craig Hoy said: “Kate Forbes is at it again – she claims she is the ‘change candidate’ to right the shortcomings of the SNP government, despite being one of its highest members.
“She had a brassy neck that publicly complained about the SNP’s failure to double down on the A9, as if she were a helpless bystander. As a Highlands MSP, she should have been beating the drum for this since 2016; while as a financial secretary she had been in charge of the wallet for the past three years and could have accomplished this if it was that important to her.
In the same way she talks about the need to keep taxes low while gleefully ignoring the fact that she has made Scotland the most highly taxed part of the UK.
“Its slogan is ‘Continuity won’t make it’ – and it’s true. The only problem is that Continuity Kate’s fingerprints are all over the SNP’s dismal record in government, as is Humza Yousaf’s.’
The leadership contest ends on March 27.