This is a list of the first ministers of Wales. The role of "First Secretary of Wales" was introduced in 1999 with the establishment of the National Assembly for Wales (now Senedd) following the 1997 referendum. The title of the role was changed to "First Minister of Wales" in October 2000, a change which was recognised in law following the enactment of the Government of Wales Act 2006. All first ministers to date have also served concurrently as leader of Welsh Labour.[1]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/df/National_Assembly_for_Wales_Cardiff.jpg/291px-National_Assembly_for_Wales_Cardiff.jpg)
- Top left: Alun Michael was the first-ever first minister of Wales.
- Top right: Rhodri Morgan was the longest-serving first minister of Wales.
- Bottom left: Vaughan Gething was the first Black first minister of Wales and the shortest-serving first minister.
- Bottom right: Eluned Morgan, the current first minister and first female first minister.
List of First Ministers of Wales
editNo. | Portrait | Name
(Birth–Death) Constituency/Title |
Term of office | Political party | Elected | Government | Deputy | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Alun Michael (born 1943) AM for Mid and West Wales As First Secretary |
12 May 1999 |
9 February 2000 |
273 days | Labour[a] | 1999 | Michael Lab (minority) |
none | |||
2 | Rhodri Morgan (1939–2017) AM for Cardiff West Office renamed First Minister on 16 October 2000 |
9 February
2000 |
10 December
2009 |
9 years, 304 days | Labour | Interim Morgan Lab (minority) |
none | ||||
Morgan I Lab – LD |
Mike German (LD) 2000–01 and 2002-03 Jenny Randerson | ||||||||||
2003 | Morgan II Lab (minority) |
none | |||||||||
2007 | Morgan III Lab (minority) | ||||||||||
Morgan IV Lab – Plaid |
Ieuan Wyn Jones (Plaid Cymru) | ||||||||||
3 | Carwyn Jones (born 1967) AM for Bridgend |
10 December
2009 |
12 December
2018[2] |
9 years, 2 days | Labour | Jones I Lab – Plaid | |||||
2011 | Jones II Lab (minority) |
none | |||||||||
2016 | Jones III Lab – LD - Ind | ||||||||||
4 | Mark Drakeford (born 1954) MS for Cardiff West |
13 December
2018 |
20 March
2024 |
5 years, 98 days | Labour | Drakeford I Lab – LD - Ind |
none | ||||
2021 | Drakeford II Lab (minority) |
none | |||||||||
5 | Vaughan Gething (born 1974) MS for Cardiff South and Penarth |
20 March
2024 |
5 August 2024 | 138 days | Labour[a] | Gething Lab (minority) |
none | ||||
6 | Eluned Morgan (born 1967) MS for Mid and West Wales |
6 August
2024 |
Incumbent | 21 days | Labour[a] | Morgan Lab (minority) |
Huw Irranca-Davies Labour |
Timeline
edit![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/timeline/7src7ogpjutmgldccwd00usf1il93by.png)
Previous nominations
editAugust 2024
editDate: | 6 August 2024 | |
---|---|---|
Candidate | Votes | |
Eluned Morgan (Labour) |
28 / 56
| |
Andrew R.T. Davies (Conservative) |
15 / 56
| |
Rhun ap Iorwerth (Plaid Cymru) |
12 / 56
| |
Abstentions | 1 / 56
| |
Source: Senedd[3] |
March 2024
editDate: | 20 March 2024 | |
---|---|---|
Candidate | Votes | |
Vaughan Gething (Labour) |
27 / 51
| |
Andrew R.T. Davies (Conservative) |
13 / 51
| |
Rhun ap Iorwerth (Plaid Cymru) |
11 / 51
| |
Source: Senedd[4] |
2021
editOn 12 May 2021, Mark Drakeford was the only person nominated for the position (by Rebecca Evans), and was a subsequently recommended by the presiding officer to be appointed as First Minister.[5]
2018
editDate: | 12 December 2018 | |
---|---|---|
Candidate | Votes | |
Mark Drakeford (Labour) |
30 / 56
| |
Paul Davies (Conservative) |
12 / 56
| |
Adam Price (Plaid Cymru) |
9 / 56
| |
Abstentions | 5 / 56
| |
Source: Senedd[6] |
2016
editDate: | 11 May 2016 | |
---|---|---|
Candidate | Votes | |
Carwyn Jones (Labour) |
29 / 58
| |
Leanne Wood[b] (Plaid Cymru) |
29 / 58
| |
Abstentions | 0 / 56
| |
Source: Senedd[8] |
2011
editOn 11 May 2011, Carwyn Jones was the only person nominated for the position (by Janice Gregory), and was a subsequently recommended by the presiding officer to be appointed as First Minister.[9]
2009
editOn 9 December 2009, Carwyn Jones was the only person nominated for the position (by Rhodri Morgan), and was a subsequently recommended by the presiding officer to be appointed as First Minister.[10]
2007
editOn 25 May 2007, Rhodri Morgan was the only person nominated for the position (by Jane Hutt), and was a subsequently recommended by the presiding officer to be appointed as First Minister.[11]
2003
editOn 7 May 2003, Rhodri Morgan was the only person nominated for the position (by Lynne Neagle), and was a subsequently elected as First Minister.[12]
2000
editOn Wednesday 9 February 2000, following the resignation of Alun Michael, the Assembly cabinet unanimously elected Rhodri Morgan as acting First Secretary.[13] He was elected unopposed as First Secretary by the whole Assembly (after being proposed by Andrew Davies) the following week on Tuesday 15 February.[14]
1999
editOn 12 May 1999, Alun Michael was the only person nominated for the position (by Rhodri Morgan and seconded by Ann Jones), and was a subsequently elected as First Secretary.[15]
References
edit- ^ Allen, Briony (19 January 2024). "Welsh Labour leadership: How will Mark Drakeford be replaced as Wales' first minister?". Institute for Government. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
- ^ David, Hefin. "We are officially First Minister-less. Diolch yn fawr iawn @AMCarwyn for strong leadership in difficult times". Twitter. Hefin David AM/AC.
- ^ "Agenda for Plenary on Tuesday, 6 August 2024, 11.00". business.senedd.wales. 6 August 2024.
- ^ "Plenary 20/03/2024". record.assembly.wales. 20 March 2024.
- ^ "Agenda for Plenary on Wednesday, 12 May 2021, 15.00". business.senedd.wales. 12 May 2021. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
- ^ "Agenda for Plenary on Wednesday, 12 December 2018, 13.30". senedd.assembly.wales. 12 December 2018. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
- ^ "Agenda for Plenary on Wednesday, 18 May 2016, 13.30". senedd.assembly.wales. 18 May 2016. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
- ^ "Agenda for Plenary on Wednesday, 11 May 2016, 13.30". senedd.assembly.wales. 11 May 2016. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
- ^ "Agenda for Plenary - Fourth Assembly on Wednesday, 11 May 2011, 15.00". business.senedd.wales. 1 June 2011. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
- ^ "Meeting of Plenary - Third Assembly on Wednesday, 9 December 2009". business.senedd.wales. 25 February 2021. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
- ^ "Meeting of Plenary - Third Assembly on Friday, 25 May 2007". business.senedd.wales. 25 February 2021. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
- ^ "Meeting of Plenary - Second Assembly on Wednesday, 7 May 2003". business.senedd.wales. 25 February 2021. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
- ^ "Meeting of Plenary - First Assembly on Wednesday, 9 February 2000". business.senedd.wales. 25 February 2021. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
- ^ "The National Assembly for Wales (The Official Record)" (PDF). National Assembly for Wales. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
- ^ "Meeting of Plenary - First Assembly on Wednesday, 12 May 1999". business.senedd.wales. 25 February 2021. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
Notes
edit- Dates are from World Statesmen and various BBC News Online articles from 1999 to 2003.
External links
edit- [1] Roles and Responsibilities.
- Cabinet members and ministers Welsh Government: Cabinet and ministers.