List of first ministers of Wales

Top left: Alun Michael was the first-ever first minister of Wales and the shortest-serving.^[a]
Top right: Rhodri Morgan was the longest-serving first minister of Wales.
Bottom left: Carwyn Jones was the youngest first minister of Wales at the time of entering office.
Bottom right: Vaughan Gething is the current first minister of Wales and the first Black person to hold the office.

This is a list of the first ministers of Wales. The role of "First Secretary of Wales" was introduced in 1999 with the establishment of the National Assembly for Wales (now Senedd) following the 1997 referendum. The title of the role was changed to "First Minister of Wales" in October 2000, a change which was recognised in law following the enactment of the Government of Wales Act 2006. All first ministers to date have also served concurrently as leader of Welsh Labour.^[1]

List of First Ministers of Wales

	Name (Birth–Death) Constituency/Title	Term of office			Political party	Elected	Government	Deputy
1	Alun Michael (born 1943) AM for Mid and West Wales As First Secretary	12 May 1999	9 February 2000	273 days	Labour^[b]	1999	Michael Lab (minority)	none
2	Rhodri Morgan (1939–2017) AM for Cardiff West Office renamed First Minister on 16 October 2000	9 February 2000	10 December 2009	9 years, 304 days	Labour		Interim Morgan Lab (minority)	none
							Morgan I Lab – LD		Mike German (LD) 2000–01 and 2002-03 Jenny Randerson 2001–02 (acting)
						2003	Morgan II Lab (minority)	none
						2007	Morgan III Lab (minority)	none
							Morgan IV Lab – Plaid		Ieuan Wyn Jones (Plaid Cymru)
3	Carwyn Jones (born 1967) AM for Bridgend	10 December 2009	12 December 2018^[2]	9 years, 2 days	Labour		Jones I Lab – Plaid		Ieuan Wyn Jones (Plaid Cymru)
						2011	Jones II Lab (minority)	none
						2016	Jones III Lab – LD - Ind	none
4	Mark Drakeford (born 1954) MS for Cardiff West	13 December 2018	20 March 2024	5 years, 98 days	Labour	2016	Drakeford I Lab – LD - Ind	none
4	Mark Drakeford (born 1954) MS for Cardiff West	13 December 2018	20 March 2024	5 years, 98 days	Labour	2021	Drakeford II Lab (minority)	none
5	Vaughan Gething (born 1974) MS for Cardiff South and Penarth	20 March 2024	Incumbent	39 days*	Labour^[b]	2021	Gething Lab (minority)	none

Timeline

Previous nominations

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2021

On 12 May 2021, Mark Drakeford was the only person nominated for the position (by Rebecca Evans), and was a subsequently recommended by the presiding officer to be appointed as First Minister.^[3]

2018

2018 Nomination of First Minister
Date:		12 December 2018
Candidate		Votes
	Mark Drakeford (Labour)	30 / 56
	Paul Davies (Conservative)	12 / 56
	Adam Price (Plaid Cymru)	9 / 56
	Abstentions	5 / 56
Source: Senedd^[4]

2016

2016 Nomination of First Minister
Date:		11 May 2016
Candidate		Votes
	Carwyn Jones (Labour)	29 / 58
	Leanne Wood^[c] (Plaid Cymru)	29 / 58
	Abstentions	0 / 56
Source: Senedd^[6]

2011

On 11 May 2011, Carwyn Jones was the only person nominated for the position (by Janice Gregory), and was a subsequently recommended by the presiding officer to be appointed as First Minister.^[7]

2009

On 9 December 2009, Carwyn Jones was the only person nominated for the position (by Rhodri Morgan), and was a subsequently recommended by the presiding officer to be appointed as First Minister.^[8]

2007

On 25 May 2007, Rhodri Morgan was the only person nominated for the position (by Jane Hutt), and was a subsequently recommended by the presiding officer to be appointed as First Minister.^[9]

2003

On 7 May 2003, Rhodri Morgan was the only person nominated for the position (by Lynne Neagle), and was a subsequently elected as First Minister.^[10]

2000

On 9 February 2000, following the resignation of Alun Michael, the Assembly cabinet unanimously elected Rhodri Morgan as acting First Secretary.^[11]

1999

On 12 May 1999, Alun Michael was the only person nominated for the position (by Rhodri Morgan and seconded by Ann Jones), and was a subsequently elected as First Secretary.^[12]

References

^ Allen, Briony (19 January 2024). "Welsh Labour leadership: How will Mark Drakeford be replaced as Wales' first minister?". Institute for Government. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
^ David, Hefin. "We are officially First Minister-less. Diolch yn fawr iawn @AMCarwyn for strong leadership in difficult times". Twitter. Hefin David AM/AC.
^ "Agenda for Plenary on Wednesday, 12 May 2021, 15.00". business.senedd.wales. 12 May 2021. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
^ "Agenda for Plenary on Wednesday, 12 December 2018, 13.30". senedd.assembly.wales. 12 December 2018. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
^ "Agenda for Plenary on Wednesday, 18 May 2016, 13.30". senedd.assembly.wales. 18 May 2016. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
^ "Agenda for Plenary on Wednesday, 11 May 2016, 13.30". senedd.assembly.wales. 11 May 2016. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
^ "Agenda for Plenary - Fourth Assembly on Wednesday, 11 May 2011, 15.00". business.senedd.wales. 1 June 2011. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
^ "Meeting of Plenary - Third Assembly on Wednesday, 9 December 2009". business.senedd.wales. 25 February 2021. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
^ "Meeting of Plenary - Third Assembly on Friday, 25 May 2007". business.senedd.wales. 25 February 2021. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
^ "Meeting of Plenary - Second Assembly on Wednesday, 7 May 2003". business.senedd.wales. 25 February 2021. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
^ "Meeting of Plenary - First Assembly on Wednesday, 9 February 2000". business.senedd.wales. 25 February 2021. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
^ "Meeting of Plenary - First Assembly on Wednesday, 12 May 1999". business.senedd.wales. 25 February 2021. Retrieved 13 May 2021.

Notes

^ Not including the term of the incumbent first minister which is still underway.
^ ^a ^b Also a member of the Co-operative Party.
^ later withdrew on the 18 May 2016^[5]