WALES has entered a new political era after voters delivered the biggest political upheaval since devolution.

Plaid Cymru emerged as the largest party in the Senedd, Reform UK surged into second place, and Welsh Labour was reduced to its worst result since the creation of Welsh devolution in 1999.

The result ends Labour’s long dominance of Welsh politics and leaves Cardiff Bay facing weeks of negotiations over who will form the next Welsh Government.

Labour dominance ends

For the first time since the Senedd was created, Labour is no longer the largest party in Wales.

The party fell to just nine seats in the expanded 96-member chamber, a result which has sent shockwaves through Welsh politics.

First Minister Eluned Morgan also lost her own seat in Ceredigion Penfro before announcing that she would stand down as Welsh Labour leader.

The scale of the defeat reflects deep public frustration over the NHS, public services, the cost of living, and the perception that Welsh Labour had run out of energy after decades in power.

Ken Skates has now been appointed interim Welsh Labour leader as the party begins what is likely to be a long and painful rebuilding process.

Plaid’s historic breakthrough

Plaid Cymru finished as the largest party with 43 seats, a landmark result for Rhun ap Iorwerth and his party.

It is the closest Plaid has ever come to forming a government in Wales, and gives the party the clear first opportunity to try to lead the next Welsh Government.

However, Plaid fell short of the 49 seats needed for an outright majority.

That means Rhun ap Iorwerth must now decide whether to seek a formal coalition, a confidence-and-supply arrangement, or attempt to govern as a minority administration.

The party campaigned strongly on the NHS, childcare, housing, rural Wales and economic renewal. It must now show that it can move from opposition into government and turn those promises into delivery.

Reform becomes major force

The other major story of the election was the dramatic rise of Reform UK.

The party won 34 seats, becoming the second-largest group in the Senedd and reshaping the political map across Wales.

Reform made major gains in former Labour heartlands, particularly in areas where voters have become disillusioned with Cardiff Bay politics and traditional party loyalties.

Its success means the next Senedd will be noisier, more confrontational, and far less predictable than before.

Reform will now have a large platform from which to challenge Plaid Cymru, Welsh Labour and the Conservatives on public services, immigration, the economy, and the future direction of Wales.

Smaller parties gain ground

The Conservatives were reduced to seven seats, leaving them much diminished after years of trying to present themselves as the main alternative to Labour.

The Wales Green Party won two seats, giving the party its first real foothold in the Senedd.

The Welsh Liberal Democrats won one seat, ensuring they remain represented in Cardiff Bay.

The new electoral system, which expanded the Senedd from 60 to 96 members and introduced 16 larger constituencies electing six MSs each, helped create a far more proportional result.

It has also produced a chamber in which smaller parties and tactical negotiations will matter more than ever.

What happens next?

The key issue now is who can command enough support to govern.

Plaid Cymru, as the largest party, will be expected to lead the process of forming an administration.

But without a majority, every major vote will matter. Budgets, major laws, confidence votes and key policy decisions will all require careful negotiation.

A formal deal with another party may prove difficult. A minority Plaid government is possible, but it would need support from other MSs to survive.

That means the next few weeks could be decisive for the future of Wales.

A changed country

This was more than a bad night for Labour or a breakthrough for Plaid and Reform.

It was a clear sign that Welsh politics has changed.

Old loyalties have weakened. Voters who once backed the same party for generations have shown they are prepared to move. The next Senedd will be more divided, more unpredictable, and more difficult to control.

For Wales, the message is stark.

The Labour era is over. Plaid Cymru now has its greatest opportunity yet. Reform UK has arrived as a major force. And whoever forms the next Welsh Government will have to prove quickly that change means more than a different set of faces in Cardiff Bay.

CROWDS gathered outside the Senedd as Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth arrived in Cardiff Bay following his party’s historic victory in the Welsh election.

Supporters waving Welsh flags and Plaid banners cheered as ap Iorwerth made his way through crowds of activists, journalists and newly elected Members of the Senedd, in scenes unlike anything seen in modern Welsh devolved politics.

The election result marks a political earthquake in Wales, with Plaid Cymru emerging as the largest party in the Senedd for the first time since devolution began in 1999.

Ap Iorwerth was greeted by supporters, posed for photographs and embraced well-wishers as he arrived at the waterfront venue before addressing media gathered outside.

The atmosphere around Cardiff Bay was jubilant, with many supporters describing the result as a “turning point” for Wales.

Plaid’s breakthrough came after a dramatic night which saw Labour suffer major losses across Wales, while Reform UK also made significant gains under the new expanded Senedd voting system.

In emotional scenes, ap Iorwerth hugged supporters and thanked campaigners who had travelled from across Wales to witness the moment.

One photograph captured the Plaid leader embracing a young supporter as crowds packed the entrance area overlooking Cardiff Bay, while another showed hundreds gathered outside as he addressed the media beneath Welsh flags.

The result leaves Plaid Cymru in pole position as discussions begin over how the next Welsh Government will be formed in a hung Senedd.

Speaking after arriving at the Bay, Plaid figures said voters had delivered a “clear message that Wales wants change.”

The historic scenes are likely to become defining images of a new era in Welsh politics.

WELSH Labour has appointed Ken Skates as its interim leader following the party’s bruising Senedd election result.

The decision was made after meetings of Welsh Labour’s Executive Committee and the newly elected Welsh Labour Group.

Skates, who was first elected to the Senedd in 2011, has held a number of Welsh Government roles, including Transport Secretary and Economy and Infrastructure Secretary.

He was re-elected for Fflint Wrecsam yesterday and received unanimous support from the new Welsh Labour Group.

Speaking after his appointment, Skates said: “Today is just the beginning of a process that will help us to understand what we got wrong. Because we did get it wrong.

“There is no reading of this result that endorses every action we have taken as a party, and our task now is to take the time needed and work out what has happened.

“It is a task that will require every single one of us to take part in — every member, every councillor, every MS, MP, Lord and all roles in between. But it is not a task that is beyond us.”

He added: “Welsh Labour is at its best when we are the champions of the people of Wales. Our role is to serve, and to fight for the issues that matter most.

“We are a party with an incredible history of serving Wales and her people, and we have so much more to give.”

Paying tribute to Eluned Morgan, Skates said: “I would like to thank Eluned for everything she has done over the past two years as our First Minister, and in her 30 years of service to Wales and the Labour Party.

“She broke the glass ceiling, and her role in history as the first woman to lead our party and country is an achievement second to none.”

Skates will serve as interim leader until a timetable is set for a full leadership election in line with Welsh Labour rules.