First Minister of Wales

The Government of Wales Act 1998 established the National Assembly for Wales, with an executive (the Cabinet) and a limited legislature. The head of the Welsh executive was initially titled "Assembly First Secretary" () under Section 53(1) of the 1998 Act. Following the 1964 UK election, a new Secretary of State for Wales was created with responsibility for housing, local government and roads, with additional powers gradually added over subsequent years. The 1973 Royal Commission on the Constitution recommended the creation of elected bodies for Scotland and Wales, Following their 1997 manifesto commitments, the incoming Labour UK government with 50.3% voting in favour and 49.7% against, on majority of just 6,721 votes. Michael later resigned months later on 9 February 2000, due to his minority Labour administration experiencing difficulties in securing agreement from other parties over European Union Objective One funding, and resigned to avoid a vote of no confidence by the opposition parties. Title change Michael's successor Rhodri Morgan, appointed in February 2000, announced that he would want to be addressed as "First Minister" rather than "First Secretary". Morgan also renamed "Assembly Secretaries" as "Ministers". The Government of Wales Act 2006 made the first minister the official "Keeper of the Welsh Seal" and allowed the post to be formally known as "First Minister". ==Appointment process==

Candidates for the position of first minister are nominated by Members of the Senedd, who elect the first minister by majority vote. If no candidate achieves a majority in the first ballot, further ballots are held until one candidate receives majority support. This process requires only a simple majority of votes cast, not an absolute majority of all Senedd members. being sworn in on 8 August 2024 Once elected by the Senedd, the presiding officer formally notifies the Monarch, who then appoints the nominee as first minister . The most recent appointments were Vaughan Gething in March 2024 and Eluned Morgan in August 2024, following changes in the Welsh Labour leadership. ==Powers and responsibilities==

The first minister exercises executive authority within the Welsh Government and holds responsibility for the overall strategic direction of the devolved administration. Under the arrangements established by successive Government of Wales Acts, executive functions are conferred on the Senedd and then delegated to the first minister and other Welsh Ministers as appropriate. Under the Government of Wales Act 2006, the Welsh Government may comprise a maximum of 12 Welsh Ministers (excluding the first minister and Counsel General), limiting the total size to 14 members. Legislative competence and devolved areas Following the Wales Act 2017, Wales operates under a 'reserved powers' model where the Senedd can legislate on any matter not specifically reserved to the UK Parliament. The first minister leads the Welsh Government in proposing bills to the Senedd on subjects within devolved competence, which include health, education, economic development, transport, local government, agriculture, forestry, fisheries, environment, housing, social services, culture, sport, tourism and the Welsh language. The first minister oversees the Welsh Government's borrowing powers, which include the ability to borrow up to £1 billion for capital spending with UK Treasury consent. ==Accountability mechanism==

The first minister is directly accountable to the Senedd for their actions and those of the Welsh Government. This accountability operates through various parliamentary procedures including questions, debates, and committee scrutiny. The Senedd holds the power to pass a vote of no confidence in the first minister, which would require their resignation, as demonstrated by the events leading to Alun Michael's resignation in 2000. ==Intergovernmental relations==

The first minister participates in various intergovernmental structures including the British-Irish Council, the Prime Minister and Heads of Devolved Governments Council, and the Council of the Nations and Regions. The Intergovernmental Relations Review, published in January 2022, established new structures for dialogue between UK and devolved governments, including the Interministerial Standing Committee and Finance: Interministerial Standing Committee. Challenges and tensions Relations between the first minister and UK Government have faced ongoing challenges. The Welsh Government has raised concerns about being treated as a "stakeholder rather than a devolved government partner", with decisions often made by the UK Government with only minimal consultation. Secretary of State for Wales relationship The Secretary of State for Wales serves as the primary link between the UK Government and the Welsh Government, with responsibilities including ensuring the smooth running of the devolution settlement and acting as the liaison between the two administrations. ==Practical operations==

Official locations and working arrangements The first minister operates from two main official locations. One office is located in Tŷ Hywel, which is adjacent to the Senedd building in Cardiff Bay and serves as the principal workspace when engaging with the Welsh Parliament. Unlike the first minister of Scotland, Wales does not provide an official residence for its first minister. There have been calls for the establishment of such a residence, with suggestions including the use of Cardiff's former Mansion House, but no official residence has been designated. The Welsh Government maintains offices throughout Wales to support the first minister's work across the country, including locations in Carmarthen, Caernarfon, Aberystwyth, Llandrindod Wells, and other regional centres. The format follows established parliamentary conventions: Members of the Senedd (MSs) may ask oral questions which are selected by ballot conducted by the Table Office, with any Member except party leaders eligible to enter the ballot. In addition to regular questions, the first minister may face Topical Questions on matters of urgent public significance and Emergency Questions which can be taken without notice if deemed by the Presiding Officer to be of urgent public importance. Transport and security arrangements Details regarding security arrangements for the first minister are not disclosed publicly for operational security reasons, consistent with standard practice for government officials. The UK's Protection Command, which provides security for senior government figures, operates under a policy of neither confirming nor denying specific protection arrangements. The first minister's use of official transport and related expenses are governed by the Ministerial Code, which requires that official transport should not be used for party, private or other non-ministerial business except where justified on security grounds. The code emphasises efficient use of resources, cost consciousness, and public accountability in all transport arrangements. This includes publication of board members' expenses, ministerial expenditure over £25,000, and adherence to the ministerial code. Members of the Senedd regularly use parliamentary questions to seek details about ministerial travel, meetings, and expenditure, providing ongoing scrutiny of the first minister's activities and use of public resources. ==See also==