The Welsh Parliament has been recalled during its summer break to nominate a new First Minister of Wales, following the resignation of Vaughan Gething MS.
The Senedd will meet on Tuesday 6 August, 2024 at 11:00.
The Llywydd of the Senedd Elin Jones MS, the Presiding Officer, says:
“I received a request from the First Minister to recall the Senedd for Members to nominate the next person to take on the role of First Minister of Wales. I have agreed to the request and I have written to Members of the Senedd to inform them of the recall.”
The Senedd can be recalled during recess, on the authority of the Llywydd, to discuss issues of national significance. In its 25-year history, the Senedd has been recalled previously to discuss the response to the Covid-19 Pandemic, Brexit and the future of the steel industry. This is the first time it will meet in recess to nominate a new First Minister.
The meeting will be hybrid, with some Members present in the debating chamber, the Siambr, with the option to also participate virtually. Members of the public will be able to watch proceedings from the viewing gallery in the Senedd and the meeting will be shown live on senedd.tv
What will happen in the meeting?: Senedd nominates a new First Minister
Ahead of the meeting, the First Minister will need to officially submit his resignation to the King. Once the King has accepted, the Llywydd will notify the Senedd. The nomination of a new First Minister can now take place in the meeting on 6 August.
In the meeting, the Llywydd will ask for nominations for First Minister from Members of the Senedd. Any Member of the Senedd can nominate any other Member to be First Minister.
If one Member is put forward, then that person becomes the “nominee”. If more than one Member is put forward, then all the Members of Senedd vote via roll call, except for the Llywydd and Deputy Presiding Officer. Members will be called one by one to declare which Member they support.
Once the Senedd has chosen a new First Minister, the Llywydd writes to the King recommending the “nominee” to become First Minister. Once the King appoints the new First Minister, the First Minister will then select Members of the Senedd to be ministers in the Cabinet.
