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]
| No. | Portrait | 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 | Labour | 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 | Labour | Interim Morgan Lab (minority) | none | |||||
| Morgan I Lab – LD | Mike German (LD) 2000–01 and 2002-03Jenny Randerson 2001–02 (acting) | ||||||||||
| 2003 | Morgan II Lab (minority) | none | |||||||||
| 2007 | Morgan III Lab (minority) | ||||||||||
| Morgan IV Lab – Plaid | Ieuan Wyn Jones (Plaid Cymru) | ||||||||||
| 3 | Carwyn Jones (born 1967) AM for Bridgend | 10 December 2009 | 12 December 2018[2] | Labour | Jones I Lab – Plaid | ||||||
| 2011 | Jones II Lab (minority) | none | |||||||||
| 2016 | Jones III Lab – LD - Ind | ||||||||||
| 4 | Mark Drakeford (born 1954) MS for Cardiff West | 13 December 2018 | 20 March 2024 | Labour | Drakeford I Lab – LD - Ind | none | |||||
| 2021 | Drakeford II Lab (minority) | none | |||||||||
| 5 | Vaughan Gething (born 1974) MS for Cardiff South and Penarth | 20 March2024 | 5 August 2024 | Labour | Gething Lab (minority) | none | |||||
| 6 | Eluned Morgan (born 1967) MS for Mid and West Wales | 6 August 2024 | Incumbent | Labour | Morgan Lab (minority) | Huw Irranca-Davies Labour | |||||
| 6 August 2024 | |||
| Candidate | Votes | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Eluned Morgan (Labour) | |||
| Andrew R.T. Davies (Conservative) | |||
| Rhun ap Iorwerth (Plaid Cymru) | |||
| Abstentions | |||
| Source: Senedd[3] | |||
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.[4]
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.[5]
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.[6]
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.[7]
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.[8]
On Wednesday 9 February 2000, following the resignation of Alun Michael, the Assembly cabinet unanimously elected Rhodri Morgan as acting First Secretary.[9] He was elected unopposed as First Secretary by the whole Assembly (after being proposed by Andrew Davies) the following week on Tuesday 15 February.[10]
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.[11]