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Wales Greens
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Wales Greens

Welsh Green Party projected to enter the Senedd for the first time with 10 seats in May 2026.

The two Wales Greens MSs carried Rhun ap Iorwerth's election as First Minister in May, yet his Programme for Government on 22 September 2026 named no partner party, leaving Plaid's 43 seats plus The Greens' two short of a 49-seat majority.

Last refreshed: 7 October 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic

Key Question

Will the Wales Greens hold the balance of power in the Senedd after the first proportional Welsh election?

Timeline for Wales Greens

#9 19 May

Voted ap Iorwerth in on 12 May without written agreement

UK Local Elections 2026: ap Iorwerth's six-power Wales Bill ask
#8 12 May

Provided two votes for ap Iorwerth without a written agreement; excluded from cabinet

UK Local Elections 2026: Plaid takes Cardiff after 27 years
#7 8 May

provided confidence and supply backing for Plaid minority government

UK Local Elections 2026: Plaid Cymru forms Welsh minority government
#6 5 May

Projected to fall from 10 to 2 Senedd seats in final MRP, losing kingmaker status

UK Local Elections 2026: Wales Greens fall from 10 to 2
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Background

Wales Greens, formally the Wales Green Party, is the Welsh section of the Green Party of England and Wales. Anthony Slaughter leads it. It won its first Senedd seats in May 2026, at the first election to the enlarged 96-member chamber, chosen by closed-list proportional representation across 16 six-member constituencies.

The campaign exposed friction with Plaid Cymru, its likeliest partner. Slaughter called The Greens the "only left-wing party in Wales", and Plaid's Carrie Harper replied that a Green vote would "let Reform in".

Its two members, Slaughter for Cardiff and Penarth and Paul Rock for Cardiff Ffynnon TAF, make it the smallest group in the Senedd but a necessary one for a minority government. Its policy asks centre on renters, transport and the environment, among them free bus travel for under-22s and public control of water.

Key Issues
Senedd arithmetic

Two Green votes carry no written deal

The party entered the Senedd on 7 May 2026 with two members, both from Cardiff, FAR below the ten seats YouGov's first MRP had projected. YouGov's final model had already cut The Greens to two, blaming late switching to Plaid Cymru.

On 12 May Anthony Slaughter and Paul Rock supplied the votes that made ap Iorwerth First Minister, without signing a confidence-and-supply agreement. The all-Plaid Cabinet named on 13 May gave them no ministerial posts. On 9 May The Greens had published four conditions for their support, on the cost of living, the NHS, the rental crisis and the natural environment, including rent freezes and an end to no-fault evictions. With no signed deal, each budget and bill reopens the bargain.

Common Questions
How many seats are the Wales Greens projected to win in 2026?
YouGov's second 2026 Senedd MRP projects the Wales Greens at 7 seats (down from 10 in the first MRP). A Plaid-Green Coalition would still exceed the 49-seat majority threshold.Source: YouGov
Who leads the Wales Green Party?
Anthony Slaughter is the leader of the Wales Green Party. He described the party as the only left-wing party in Wales and said it was ready to be kingmakers in any POST-election Coalition.Source: Lowdown
Who leads the Wales Greens?
The Wales Greens are led by Anthony Slaughter, WHO described the party as the 'only left-wing party in Wales' and said it is ready to be kingmakers following strong MRP projections.Source: Wales Greens
Could Wales Greens form a coalition with Plaid Cymru?
Yes, arithmetically. A Plaid-Green Coalition would exceed the 49-seat Senedd majority threshold. However, Plaid's Tessa Marshall has called Plaid 'not left-wing enough', signalling friction in any Coalition talks.Source: YouGov MRP
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