Rhun ap Iorwerth, the leader of Plaid Cymru, has been named the next First Minister of Wales.
He secured the most votes from Members of the Senedd (MSs) on Tuesday, marking a historic first: no non-Labour politician has held the post in the Welsh Parliament’s 27-year history.
Mr ap Iorwerth succeeds Baroness Eluned Morgan, who lost her seat in last week’s Senedd election and subsequently resigned as Welsh Labour leader after a devastating set of results for the party.
He has announced plans to form a minority government.
Plaid Cymru secured the largest bloc in the election but fell short of a majority, holding 43 Members of the Senedd (MSs).
Mr ap Iorwerth’s nomination was supported by the two Wales Green Party MSs.
Liberal Democrat MS Jane Dodds and Welsh Labour MSs chose to abstain from the vote.
Before Mr ap Iorwerth is officially confirmed as first minister, the Senedd’s presiding officer will write to the King recommending that he is officially appointed.
Mr ap Iorwerth described being elected as First Minister as “the greatest privilege of my life”.
He also paid tribute to the “resilience and determination” of Baroness Morgan.
“Something has stirred in the soul of Wales – a new confidence, a new hope, a new broader horizon, never to be narrowed again by the naysayers with other priorities in other places,” Mr ap Iorwerth said on Tuesday.
“From this historic moment onwards, every person in every part of our nation can know that the Government of Wales is their government.
“They will know that their government does not and will not impose on itself or on our citizens any limits on what our nation can achieve.
“My promise to everyone is I will lead without prejudice or presumption.
“I’ll never take this privilege for granted, nor will my principles be burdened by power because the challenges we face are too many in number and too grave in nature for us to lose sight of what is at stake.”
