First Minister of Wales
{{short description|Leader of the Welsh Government}}
{{about|the office|a list of Welsh first ministers|List of first ministers of Wales}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2018}}
{{Infobox official post
| post = First Minister of Wales
| body =
| native_name = {{native name|cy|Prif Weinidog Cymru}}
| insignia = First Minister of Wales logo.png
| insigniasize = 120px
| insigniacaption = Logo
| flag = Flag of Wales.svg
| flagsize = 120px
| flagborder = yes
| flagcaption = Flag of Wales
| image = Official photograph of First Minister Eluned Morgan MS (Portrait).jpg
| imagesize =
| alt =
| incumbent = Eluned Morgan
| acting =
| incumbentsince = {{Start date|df=yes|2024|08|06}}
| department = Welsh Government
Welsh Cabinet
Senedd
| style = First Minister
(informal)
The Right Honourable
(UK and Commonwealth)
Her Excellency
(international)
| type =
| status = Head of Government
| abbreviation = FM
| member_of = {{ubl|Senedd|Welsh Cabinet|Privy Council|British-Irish Council|PM and Heads of Devolved Governments Council|Council of the Nations and Regions}}
| reports_to = Senedd
| seat = Crown Buildings, Cathays Park, Cardiff
| nominator = Senedd
| appointer = The Monarch
| appointer_qualified =
| termlength = Five years
| termlength_qualified =
| constituting_instrument =
| precursor =
| formation = 12 May 1999
| first = Alun Michael AM
| last =
| abolished =
| succession =
| unofficial_names =
| deputy =
| salary = £148,575 per annum {{small|(2022)}}{{Cite web|date=9 April 2022|title=Determination on Members' Pay and Allowances: 2022-2023|url=https://senedd.wales/media/lh0ax3bn/gen-ld15067-e.pdf|access-date=10 December 2022|website=Senedd Cymru}} (including £67,920 MS salary)
| website = {{URL|https://www.gov.wales/eluned-morgan-ms}}
}}{{Politics of Wales}}
The first minister of Wales ({{langx|cy|Prif Weinidog Cymru}}) is the leader of the Welsh Government and keeper of the Welsh Seal. The first minister chairs the Welsh Cabinet and is primarily responsible for the formulation, development and presentation of Welsh Government policy. Additional functions of the first minister include promoting and representing Wales in an official capacity, at home and abroad, and responsibility for constitutional affairs, as they relate to devolution and the Welsh Government.
The first minister is a Member of the Senedd, and is nominated by the Senedd (Welsh Parliament; {{Langx|cy|Senedd Cymru}}), before being officially appointed by the Monarch. Members of the Welsh Cabinet and junior ministers of the Welsh Government, as well as law officers, are appointed by the first minister. As head of the Welsh Government, the first minister is directly accountable to the Senedd for their actions and the actions of the Welsh Government. The main office of the first minister is in Tŷ Hywel, which is adjacent to the Senedd building in Cardiff Bay.{{Cite web |title=Tŷ Hywel |url=https://senedd.wales/visit/our-estate/ty-hywel/ |access-date=2023-04-27 |website=senedd.wales |language=en-GB}} An additional office is also kept at the Crown Buildings, Cathays Park, Cardiff which is the headquarters of the Welsh Government.
The incumbent first minister of Wales is Eluned Morgan, Baroness Morgan of Ely, who has served since August 2024.{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c97d3l03dqno| title=Eluned Morgan set to be Wales' new first minister|date=2024-07-24|access-date=2024-07-24 }} The Senedd nominated her as First Minister on 6 August 2024, with Charles III making the appointment on the same day.{{Cite web |title=Eluned Morgan confirmed as first minister in Senedd vote |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cw4y4nzx95jt |access-date=2024-08-06|website=BBC News |language=en}}{{cite news |last1=Browne |first1=Adrian |title=Eluned Morgan confirmed as first minister of Wales |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cq5dd7y9vqxo |access-date=12 November 2024 |publisher=BBC News |date=6 August 2024}}
Terminology
When initially established under the Government of Wales Act 1998, Section 53(1), the post was known as Assembly First Secretary ({{langx|cy|Prif Ysgrifennydd y Cynulliad}}),{{Cite web |date=April 2007 |title=The Constitution – The First Minister and Welsh Ministers: Quick guide |url=https://senedd.wales/media/iqoprscx/qg07-0056-english.pdf |access-date=2023-04-27 |publisher=Welsh Parliament |page=1}} as Wales was given a less powerful assembly and executive than either Northern Ireland or Scotland. The choice of title was also attributed to the fact that the Welsh term for First Minister, Prif Weinidog, may also be translated as Prime Minister, so a different title was chosen to avoid confusion with the prime minister of the United Kingdom. The change of title occurred after the Liberal Democrats formed a coalition government with Labour in the National Assembly in October 2000. The Government of Wales Act 2006 allowed for the post to be officially known as "First Minister" and also made the first minister Keeper of the Welsh Seal.{{Cite web |title=Welsh Government {{!}} Law Wales |url=https://law.gov.wales/constitution-and-government/law-making-wales/welsh-government |access-date=2023-04-27 |website=law.gov.wales}}{{Cite web |title=The Welsh Seal of the National Assembly for Wales |url=https://senedd.wales/media/cx0g2dvs/3_welsh_seal_activity-english.pdf |access-date=2023-04-27 |publisher=Welsh Parliament}}
Nomination and appointment
Candidates for the position of first minister are nominated by the members of the Senedd.{{Cite web |title=Appointing a new First Minister |url=https://senedd.wales/senedd-now/news/appointing-a-new-first-minister/ |access-date=2023-04-27 |website=senedd.wales |language=en-GB}} The members elect the first minister by majority vote.{{Cite web |title=How is the First Minister of Wales nominated? |url=https://senedd.wales/senedd-now/senedd-blog/how-is-the-first-minister-of-wales-nominated/ |access-date=2023-04-27 |website=senedd.wales |language=en-GB}} If no one achieves a majority of the votes cast in the first ballot, there are further ballots until a majority cast their vote for one candidate. This process does not require an absolute majority of the Senedd (currently 31 out of 60 members).
Once this process is complete, the presiding officer sends a formal letter to the Monarch, who must then appoint that nominee to the position of First Minister.{{Cite web |title=Appointing a new First Minister |url=http://www.assembly.wales/en/newhome/Pages/newsitem.aspx?itemid=531 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201026073453/https://senedd.wales/en/newhome/Pages/newsitem.aspx?itemid=531 |archive-date=2020-10-26 |access-date=2019-02-17 |website=National Assembly for Wales |language=en-GB}}
In December 2023, Mark Drakeford announced his intention to stand down, and remained in the position until he was replaced by Vaughan Gething on 20 March 2024, as a result of the Welsh Labour leadership election.{{Cite news |date=2023-12-13 |title=Wales' First Minister Mark Drakeford resigns |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-67702232 |access-date=2023-12-13}}{{Cite web |title=Vaughan Gething to become next first minister of Wales after winning Welsh Labour leadership race |url=https://news.sky.com/story/vaughan-gething-set-to-become-next-first-minister-of-wales-after-winning-welsh-labour-leadership-race-13088431 |access-date=2024-03-16 |website=Sky News |language=en}}{{cite web | url=https://record.senedd.wales/Plenary/13746 | title=Plenary 20/03/2024 }}
On 16 July 2024, Gething announced his intention to resign as first minister.{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c51ydeeeeyro.amp | title=Wales' first minister Vaughan Gething resigns as ministers quit }} On 24 July 2024, Eluned Morgan was elected as Gething’s successor as Welsh Labour leader. She succeeded him as First Minister,{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c97d3l03dqno| title=Eluned Morgan set to be Wales' new first minister|date=2024-07-24|access-date=2024-07-24 }} after the Senedd formally nominated her as first minister on 6 August 2024, with King Charles III approving the nomination on the same day.{{Cite web |title=Eluned Morgan confirmed as first minister in Senedd vote |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cw4y4nzx95jt |access-date=2024-08-06|website=BBC News |language=en}} https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cq5dd7y9vqxo
List of contested elections
{{further|List of first ministers of Wales#Previous nominations}}
| class=wikitable
! rowspan=7 | Party key | style="background: {{party color|Welsh Labour}}" | |
| style="background: {{party color|Plaid Cymru}}" | |
| style="background: {{party color|Welsh Conservatives}}" | |
| class="wikitable"
|+First minister nominative elections !Parliamentary term !Date !colspan="1"|Candidates !Votes received |
| rowspan="5" |5th Assembly
|rowspan="2"|11 May 2016{{Cite news|title = Deadlock in vote for first minister |url = https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-politics-36269820 |newspaper = BBC|date = 2016-05-11|access-date = 2023-09-19}} |{{Color box|{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}|border=darkgray}} Carwyn Jones |29 |
| {{Color box|{{party color|Plaid Cymru}}|border=darkgray}} Leanne Wood
|29 |
| rowspan="3"|12 December 2018{{Cite news|title = Mark Drakeford confirmed as new Welsh first minister |url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-46537794.amp |newspaper = BBC|date = 2018-12-12|access-date = 2023-09-19}}
|{{Color box|{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}|border=darkgray}} Mark Drakeford |30 |
| {{Color box|{{party color|Welsh Conservatives}}|border=darkgray}} Paul Davies
|12 |
| {{Color box|{{party color|Plaid Cymru}}|border=darkgray}} Adam Price
|9 |
| rowspan="7" |6th Senedd
| rowspan="3" |20 March 2024{{Cite web |title=Vaughan Gething confirmed as Wales's new first minister |url=https://news.sky.com/story/vaughan-gething-confirmed-as-waless-new-first-minister-13098645 |access-date=2024-03-20 |website=Sky News |language=en}} |{{Color box|{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}|border=darkgray}} Vaughan Gething |27 |
| {{Color box|{{party color|Welsh Conservatives}}|border=darkgray}} Andrew RT Davies
|13 |
| {{Color box|{{party color|Plaid Cymru}}|border=darkgray}} Rhun ap Iorwerth
|11 |
| rowspan="4" |6 August 2024
|{{Color box|{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}|border=darkgray}} Eluned Morgan |28 |
| {{Color box|{{party color|Welsh Conservatives}}|border=darkgray}} Andrew RT Davies
|15 |
| {{Color box|{{party color|Plaid Cymru}}|border=darkgray}} Rhun ap Iorwerth
|12 |
| Abstentions
|1 |
Role
Under the arrangements in the Government of Wales Act 1998, executive functions are conferred on the Senedd and then separately delegated to the first minister and to other Cabinet Ministers and staff as appropriate.
Until the Government of Wales Act 2006, these were delegated powers of the UK government. Since that Act came into force in May 2007, however, the first minister has been appointed by the monarch and represents the Crown in Wales. Whilst this makes little practical difference, it was a huge symbolic shift, as for the first time the head of government in Wales is appointed by the Crown on the advice of the elected representatives of the Welsh people.
The first minister appoints the Welsh Ministers, Deputy Welsh Ministers and the Counsel General for Wales (collectively known as the Welsh Government), with the approval of the British sovereign.
Since the separation between the legislative and the executive on the enactment of the Government of Wales Act 2006 (upon appointment of the first minister, 25 May 2007), the Welsh ministers exercise functions in their own right. Any further transfers of executive functions from the UK Government will be made directly to the Welsh Ministers (with their consent) by an Order in Council approved by Parliament.
The first minister is accountable and responsible for:
- Exercise of functions by the cabinet of the Welsh Government
- Policy development and coordination of policy
- The relationships with the rest of the United Kingdom, Europe and Wales Abroad
- Staffing/civil service.
See also
References
{{reflist}}
Sources
- Dates are from various BBC News Online articles from 1999 to 2003.
External links
{{commons category}}
- [https://senedd.wales/en/memhome/mem-role-response/Pages/mem-role-response.aspx Roles and Responsibilities] – {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200604015315/https://senedd.wales/en/memhome/mem-role-response/Pages/mem-role-response.aspx |date=4 June 2020}}
- [https://gov.wales/cabinet-members-and-ministers Welsh Government: Cabinet and ministers]
{{WalesFirstMinister}}
{{Welsh devolution}}
{{UK heads of governments}}
Category:First ministers of Wales