These elections mark the end of a political era in Wales. Since the establishment of the Senedd in 1999, Labour has largely dominated Welsh political life. The victory of Plaid Cymru opens a new phase, in the context of the rise of nationalist and autonomist parties in several nations of the United Kingdom.
The Welsh nationalist party Plaid Cymru has won the Senedd elections, the Parliament of Wales, marking a major political turning point in this constituent nation of the United Kingdom.
With 43 seats out of 96, Plaid Cymru has made a spectacular gain of 20 seats compared to the previous election in 2021. The left-wing independence party thus becomes the leading political force in Wales, although it has not achieved an absolute majority.
Behind it, the radical right party Reform UK also creates a surprise with 34 seats. This surge has primarily come at the expense of the British Conservative Party, which loses 22 elected representatives.
The defeat is particularly severe for the Labour Party. Historically dominant in Wales since the devolution of the United Kingdom and the creation of the Senedd in 1999, the Labour Party retains only nine seats, a loss of 35 representatives. A significant portion of its electorate has shifted to Plaid Cymru, particularly in former working-class strongholds.
These results confirm the profound political realignments taking place in several nations of the United Kingdom. Following the new victory of the Scottish National Party in Scotland and the rise of Sinn Féin in Northern Ireland, Wales now sees a party favoring greater autonomy — and for some of its members, independence — come out on top in the national elections.
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