The First Minister of Wales, Eluned Morgan, has lost her Senedd seat in the 2026 Wales first minister election becoming the first head of government in UK history to lose her seat while in office. Baroness Morgan of Ely immediately announced her resignation as Welsh Labour leader following the catastrophic result. Wales now faces a new political era as Plaid Cymru emerges as the dominant force.

 The First Minister of Wales Announcement What Happened

Incumbent First Minister Eluned Morgan has lost her seat in the 2026 Senedd Election, making her the first head of government in UK history to lose her seat whilst in post.

This is one of the most dramatic First Minister of Wales announcements in the history of Welsh devolution. Eluned Morgan, also known as Baroness Morgan of Ely in the House of Lords, had stood as Welsh Labour’s top candidate in Ceredigion Penfro and still failed to secure a seat.

Instead of Labour winning any seats in that constituency, Plaid Cymru won three, Reform UK two, and the Welsh Conservatives one. It was a complete wipeout in a seat where the First Minister of Wales had staked her political future.

 Eluned Morgan’s Resignation Speech Her Own Words

Following the result, Eluned Morgan delivered a blunt and emotional concession. She said: “Welsh Labour has today suffered a catastrophic result. It ends a century of Labour winning in Wales, and the party will need to take a really hard look at itself, and understand the depth of the challenge that we face. I’ve lost my seat here in Ceredigion Penfro and I will be standing down as leader of Welsh Labour. I take responsibility for the Labour result in Wales.”

Eluned Morgan also reflected on her historic role. She said she was proud to have been the first woman to have held the job of Welsh First Minister. That pride in her trailblazing role stood in sharp contrast to the political devastation around her.

 Background  Who Is Eluned Morgan, Baroness Morgan of Ely?

Eluned Morgan is one of the most experienced politicians in Welsh history. Mair Eluned Morgan, Baroness Morgan of Ely, was born on 16 February 1967 and has served as First Minister of Wales since 2024. She was the first woman and the first member of the House of Lords to serve as First Minister.

Her political career is remarkably long. Eluned’s political career started at the age of 27 when she was elected as the youngest Member of the European Parliament in 1994. She was only the fifth woman elected to a full-time political position in the history of Wales.

She was granted a peerage in 2011 and is formally known as Baroness Morgan of Ely. That title  Baroness Morgan of Ely reflects her roots in Ely, Cardiff, where she was born and raised. As for the First Minister of Wales husband, Morgan is married to Rhys Jenkins, who is a GP and also a non-stipendiary priest.

 First Minister of Wales Party How Labour Collapsed

The First Minister of Wales party Welsh Labour  suffered its worst ever result in the 2026 Senedd election. Welsh Labour secured just nine seats overall in the 96-seat Senedd, an almost unimaginable collapse for a party that had dominated Welsh politics for over a century.

Welsh Labour lost government and its status as the largest party for the first time since devolution began in 1999, ending a winning streak that had lasted since the 1922 United Kingdom general election, resulting in a historic realignment.

The First Minister of Wales party had led Welsh politics since before devolution even existed. The fact that Eluned Morgan  as First Minister of Wales  could not even win a personal seat shows the depth of the anti-Labour wave that swept Wales on 7 May 2026.

Wales First Minister Election 2026  Who Comes Next?

With Eluned Morgan stepping down, Wales now enters a Wales first minister election process. Across Wales, Plaid Cymru claimed 39 seats, Reform 32, Labour 9, Conservatives 7, Green 2, and Lib Dems 1. Plaid Cymru’s Rhun ap Iorwerth is now widely expected to become the next First Minister of Wales. 

Eluned Morgan will remain First Minister until a new one is appointed, as you cannot have a gap in the head of Welsh Government in case there is a national disaster or security emergency. The Wales first minister election process will now unfold in the Senedd, with Plaid Cymru holding the largest number of seats and Rhun ap Iorwerth delivering a victory speech after his own strong personal result.

This transition marks a genuine turning point. For the first time since devolution began, Wales prime minister 2026  as the role is informally understood internationally will not be a Labour politician.

 The First Minister of Wales Husband and Personal Life

Throughout this turbulent campaign, personal details about Eluned Morgan drew public interest. The First Minister of Wales husband is Rhys Jenkins, who is a GP and also a non-stipendiary priest. Morgan’s family hails from St Davids in Pembrokeshire.

Eluned Morgan has been described as a committed Christian. Her personal faith and family roots in rural Wales gave her a connection to communities she ultimately could not convert into votes in Ceredigion Penfro. The First Minister of Wales husband remained a private figure throughout the election campaign, as Eluned Morgan preferred to keep personal matters separate from her political life.

 Baroness Morgan of Ely  A Legacy of Firsts

Baroness Morgan of Ely leaves office with a remarkable list of firsts to her name. Eluned Morgan became Wales’ first female First Minister, stating: “It is the greatest honour of my life to stand before you as the first woman to become the First Minister of Wales.”

Eluned Morgan is the sixth person and the first woman to hold the post of First Minister since devolution began in 1999. She is the first leader of a devolved government to be a member of the House of Lords in the post-1999 devolution era.

As Baroness Morgan of Ely, she will return to the House of Lords once her successor is confirmed. She had placed her peerage on pause during her time as First Minister of Wales, saying she wanted to think carefully about her future in the Lords.

 Wales Prime Minister 2026The Broader Political Picture

The 2026 Senedd election did not just end Eluned Morgan’s career  it reshuffled the entire landscape of who holds power in devolved UK politics. The concept of Wales prime minister 2026 now points toward Plaid Cymru, a pro-Welsh-independence party, taking the reins of the Welsh Government.

Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies said despite his party putting forward a good vision for Wales, people want change. Speaking before the declaration, he said: “People are sending a message of dissatisfaction… if we fall short today, we must listen to what the electorate has said.”

In terms of the First Minister of Northern Ireland comparison  that office currently sits with the Ulster parties both the First Minister of Wales and the First Minister of Northern Ireland represent devolved leaders who operate separately from the UK Prime Minister. The resignation of Eluned Morgan changes the political balance significantly across all devolved nations.

Reform UK’s Surge  A Warning Across the UK

The 2026 Wales first minister election was not just a story about Eluned Morgan and Plaid Cymru. Reform UK’s extraordinary rise winning 32 seats sent shockwaves far beyond Wales.

Reform’s Wales leader Dan Thomas said: “The Welsh Valleys have been ignored, let down and forgotten by the old parties of Wales. The people have spoken and they now have a voice in Reform.” He also directly targeted Labour: “Labour’s historic demise in their heartland is a lesson for all politicians to never forget the people who elected you.”

The 2026 Wales first minister election delivered a record turnout. The turnout this year was 51.65%  until today, the 50% benchmark had never been passed in a Senedd election. That historic participation makes the result even more meaningful  this was not apathy. Welsh voters actively chose to end Labour’s century-long dominance.

 Conclusion End of an Era for the First Minister of Wales Party

The First Minister of Wales announcement that Eluned Morgan has lost her seat is more than political news. It is the end of a Welsh political era stretching back over 100 years. Baroness Morgan of Ely exits with her head held high  proud of her record as the first woman to serve as First Minister of Wales  but surrounded by the wreckage of the Welsh Labour party she led.

The Wales first minister election process now moves to the Senedd, where Plaid Cymru will seek to form a government under Rhun ap Iorwerth. Wales prime minister 2026, in all but name, is about to be a Welsh nationalist leader for the first time in history.

For Eluned Morgan  Baroness Morgan of Ely, First Minister of Wales, Wales’s first female head of government  the political chapter is closed. The question now is what Wales writes next.

 FAQs

Who are the first ministers?

 The first ministers are the heads of the devolved governments in the United Kingdom. They lead Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland separately from the UK Prime Minister. The First Minister of Wales leads the Welsh Government in Cardiff. The First Minister of Northern Ireland leads the power-sharing executive at Stormont. Scotland has its own First Minister leading the Scottish Government at Holyrood. Each first minister is elected by their respective parliament or assembly, not by the national UK-wide electorate.

Who was the first Welsh Prime Minister?

 Wales does not have a prime minister  the role is called the First Minister of Wales. The first person to hold this position (then titled First Secretary) was Alun Michael in 1999, when the Welsh Assembly was first established. Since then, the role has been held by six people, all from Welsh Labour  until the 2026 Senedd election ended Labour’s dominance. Eluned Morgan, Baroness Morgan of Ely, was the sixth and most recent First Minister of Wales, and the first woman to hold the role.

Who is the deputy first minister of Wales?

 The Deputy First Minister of Wales during Eluned Morgan’s government was Huw Irranca-Davies. He stood alongside Eluned Morgan on a joint “unity ticket” when she was selected as Welsh Labour leader in 2024. Eluned Morgan stood on a joint ticket with Huw Irranca-Davies, who served as her deputy first minister. Following the catastrophic 2026 Senedd election result, the Deputy First Minister acknowledged the scale of Labour’s defeat, saying the public had clearly sent a message of dissatisfaction. With the Wales first minister election now underway to appoint a successor to Eluned Morgan, the role of deputy first minister will pass to whoever Plaid Cymru selects as part of their new government.