Plaid Cymru’s Rhun ap Iorwerth voted first minister of Wales
Appointment confirmed by plenary vote in Senedd after party ended 100 years of Labour rule in last week’s election
TL;DR
- Rhun ap Iorwerth of Plaid Cymru has been elected First Minister of Wales.
- Plaid Cymru's victory ended 100 years of Labour's dominance in Wales.
- Ap Iorwerth secured the position with the support of Plaid Cymru and the Green party; Labour and the Liberal Democrats abstained.
- Reform UK and the Conservative leader also stood for the First Minister position.
- Plaid Cymru won the most seats in the expanded 96-seat parliament, with Reform UK coming second, and Labour third.
- The Conservatives won seven seats, the Liberal Democrats one, and the Green party gained two MSs.
- Eluned Morgan, the Labour predecessor, lost her seat, leading to a leadership contest in Welsh Labour.
- Ken Skates has taken over as interim leader of Welsh Labour.
- Reform UK has vowed to be a robust opposition, emphasizing the pro-union majority in the Senedd.
- Plaid Cymru aims to form a minority government and seek cooperation from other parties.
- The party plans to advocate for an independent Wales but has ruled out a referendum in the current term.
- Huw Irranca-Davies was elected as the new speaker (llywydd) of the Senedd.
- Ap Iorwerth, a former BBC journalist, became Plaid Cymru leader in 2023.
- He will be sworn in and is expected to appoint cabinet secretaries soon.