First Minister of Wales
| First Minister of Wales | |
|---|---|
| Prif Weinidog Cymru(Welsh) | |
 Logo | |
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| Welsh Government Welsh Cabinet Senedd | |
| Style | First Minister (informal) The Right Honourable (UK and Commonwealth) Her Excellency (international) |
| Status | Head of Government |
| Abbreviation | FM |
| Member of | |
| Reports to | Senedd |
| Seat | Crown Buildings, Cathays Park,Cardiff |
| Nominator | Senedd |
| Appointer | TheMonarch |
| Term length | Five years |
| Formation | 12 May 1999 |
| First holder | Alun MichaelAM |
| Salary | £148,575 per annum(2022)[1](including £67,920MSsalary) |
| Website | www |
| This article is part ofa serieswithin the Politics of the United Kingdomon the |
| Politics of Wales |
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Thefirst minister of Wales(Welsh:Prif Weinidog Cymru) is the leader of theWelsh Governmentand keeper of theWelsh Seal.The first minister chairs theWelsh Cabinetand 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 aMember of the Senedd,and is nominated by theSenedd(Welsh Parliament;Welsh:Senedd Cymru), before being officially appointed by theMonarch.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 inTŷ Hywel,which is adjacent to theSenedd buildinginCardiff Bay.[2]An additional office is also kept at theCrown Buildings,Cathays Park,Cardiffwhich is the headquarters of theWelsh Government.
The incumbent first minister of Wales isEluned Morgansince 2024.[3]The Senedd formally nominated her as First Minister on 6 August 2024, with KingCharles IIIapproving the nomination on the same day.[4][5]
Terminology
[edit]When initially established under theGovernment of Wales Act 1998,Section 53(1), the post was known asAssembly First Secretary(Welsh:Prif Ysgrifennydd y Cynulliad),[6]as Wales was given a less powerful assembly and executive than eitherNorthern IrelandorScotland.The choice of title was also attributed to the fact that the Welsh term forFirst Minister,Prif Weinidog,may also be translated asPrime Minister,so a different title was chosen to avoid confusion with theprime minister of the United Kingdom.The change of title occurred after theLiberal Democratsformedacoalition governmentwithLabourin theNational Assemblyin October 2000. TheGovernment of Wales Act 2006allowed for the post to be officially known as "First Minister"and also made the first ministerKeeper of the Welsh Seal.[7][8]
Nomination and appointment
[edit]Candidates for the position of First Minister are nominated by themembers of theSenedd.[9]The members elect the first minister by majority vote.[10]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 anabsolute majorityof the Senedd (currently 31 out of 60 members).
Once this process is complete, thepresiding officersends a formal letter to theMonarch,who must then appoint that nominee to the position of First Minister.[11]
In December 2023, Mark Drakeford announced his intention to stand down, and remained in the position until he was replaced byVaughan Gethingon 20 March 2024, as a result of theWelsh Labour leadership election.[12][13][14]
On 16 July 2024, Gething announced his intention to resign as First Minister.[15]On 24 July 2024,Eluned Morganwas elected as Gething’s successor as Welsh Labour leader. She succeeded him as First Minister,[16]after the Senedd formally nominated her as First Minister on 6 August 2024, with KingCharles IIIapproving the nomination on the same day.[4][17]
List of contested elections
[edit]| Party key | Welsh Labour | |
|---|---|---|
| Plaid Cymru | ||
| Welsh Conservatives |
| Parliamentary term | Date | Candidates | Votes received |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5th Assembly | 11 May 2016[18] | Carwyn Jones | 29 |
| Leanne Wood | 29 | ||
| 12 December 2018[19] | Mark Drakeford | 30 | |
| Paul Davies | 12 | ||
| Adam Price | 9 | ||
| 6th Senedd | 20 March 2024[20] | Vaughan Gething | 27 |
| Andrew RT Davies | 13 | ||
| Rhun ap Iorwerth | 11 | ||
| 6 August 2024[4] | Eluned Morgan | 28 | |
| Andrew RT Davies | 15 | ||
| Rhun ap Iorwerth | 12 | ||
| Abstentions | 1 |
Role
[edit]Under the arrangements in theGovernment 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.[6]
Until the Government of Wales Act 2006, these were delegated powers of theUK government.Since that Act came into force in May 2007, however, the first minister has been appointed by themonarchand representsthe Crownin Wales.[7]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 theCounsel General for Wales(collectively known as theWelsh Government), with the approval of the British sovereign.[7]
Since the separation between the legislative and the executive on the enactment of theGovernment 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
[edit]- List of First Ministers of Wales
- List of current heads of government in the United Kingdom and dependencies
- Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
- Deputy First Minister for Wales
- Welsh Government
References
[edit]- ^"Determination on Members' Pay and Allowances: 2022-2023"(PDF).Senedd Cymru.9 April 2022.Retrieved10 December2022.
- ^"Tŷ Hywel".senedd.wales.Retrieved27 April2023.
- ^"Eluned Morgan set to be Wales' new first minister".24 July 2024.Retrieved24 July2024.
- ^abc"Eluned Morgan confirmed as first minister in Senedd vote".BBC News.Retrieved6 August2024.
- ^https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cq5dd7y9vqxo
- ^ab"The Constitution – The First Minister and Welsh Ministers: Quick guide"(PDF).Welsh Parliament. April 2007. p. 1.Retrieved27 April2023.
- ^abc"Welsh Government | Law Wales".law.gov.wales.Retrieved27 April2023.
- ^"The Welsh Seal of the National Assembly for Wales"(PDF).Welsh Parliament.Retrieved27 April2023.
- ^"Appointing a new First Minister".senedd.wales.Retrieved27 April2023.
- ^"How is the First Minister of Wales nominated?".senedd.wales.Retrieved27 April2023.
- ^"Appointing a new First Minister".National Assembly for Wales.Archived fromthe originalon 26 October 2020.Retrieved17 February2019.
- ^"Wales' First Minister Mark Drakeford resigns".BBC News.13 December 2023.Retrieved13 December2023.
- ^"Vaughan Gething to become next first minister of Wales after winning Welsh Labour leadership race".Sky News.Retrieved16 March2024.
- ^"Plenary 20/03/2024".
- ^"Wales' first minister Vaughan Gething resigns as ministers quit".
- ^"Eluned Morgan set to be Wales' new first minister".24 July 2024.Retrieved24 July2024.
- ^https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cq5dd7y9vqxo
- ^"Deadlock in vote for first minister".BBC.11 May 2016.Retrieved19 September2023.
- ^"Mark Drakeford confirmed as new Welsh first minister".BBC.12 December 2018.Retrieved19 September2023.
- ^"Vaughan Gething confirmed as Wales's new first minister".Sky News.Retrieved20 March2024.
Sources
[edit]- Dates are fromWorld Statesmenand various BBC News Online articles from 1999 to 2003.
External links
[edit]
- Roles and Responsibilities–Archived4 June 2020 at theWayback Machine
- Welsh Government: Cabinet and ministers
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