Llywydd of the Senedd
| Llywydd of the Senedd | |
|---|---|
| Llywydd Senedd Cymru | |
| Senedd | |
| Style | Llywydd (within Parliament) The Right Honourable (formal) |
| Appointer | Senedd (elected by) |
| Term length | No limits imposed |
| Inaugural holder | Dafydd Elis-Thomas 12 May 1999 |
| Formation | 1999 |
| Unofficial names | Presiding Officer of the Senedd Llywydd / Presiding Officer of the Welsh Parliament |
| Deputy | Kerry Ferguson |
| Website | https://senedd.wales/senedd-business/llywydd/ |
| This article is part of a series within the Politics of the United Kingdom on the |
| Politics of Wales |
|---|
 |
The Llywydd (Welsh: [ˈɬəu̯.ɪð]), or Presiding Officer in English, is the speaker of the Senedd in Wales, elected by members of the Senedd to chair their meetings (plenary sessions); to maintain order; and to protect the rights of Members.
The Llywydd also heads the Corporate Body (known as the Senedd Commission) and as such is viewed as a figurehead for the entire organisation. At least one Deputy Presiding Officer[1] (Welsh: Dirprwy Lywydd; also known as a Deputy Llywydd)[2], and up to two,[3] are also elected to help fulfil the role. The office of the Llywydd is based in Tŷ Hywel and is also responsible for the Pierhead Building in Cardiff Bay. In their roles, neither the Llywydd nor the Deputy Presiding Officer(s) are allowed to participate in Senedd votes, except where legislation requires those votes to be passed by two-thirds of all Members.[4]
Role of the Llywydd
[edit]The main function is to chair plenary sessions of the Senedd, to maintain order and to protect the rights of Members. They are responsible for ensuring that business is handled on the basis of equality and impartiality.
The Llywydd, as Chair of the Business Committee, is also responsible for recommending changes to Standing Orders and is the final authority on their interpretation. The Llywydd also acts as Chair of the Senedd Commission, and has special responsibility for promoting democratic engagement, leadership, developing the Senedd's future legislative powers and external relations.
The Llywydd also normally facilitates the Chairs' Forum, where cross-cutting issues relating to subject committees are discussed. In addition to this, the Llywydd acts as the ambassador for the Senedd, attending speakers' conferences and other events in order to publicise and raise the profile of the Senedd.
Llywydd's Committee
[edit]The statutory[5] role of the Llywydd's Committee is to scrutinise the financial estimates of the Electoral Commission, as relates to devolved elections and referendums. During the Sixth Senedd, it was chaired by the Deputy Presiding Officer, David Rees.[6]
List of Llywyddion and Deputy Presiding Officers
[edit]Current Llywydd and Deputy Presiding Officer
[edit]| Position | Current holder | Term started | Political party | Constituency | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Llywydd (Presiding Officer) | Huw Irranca-Davies MS | .jpg) |
12 May 2026 | Labour | Afan Ogwr Rhondda | |
| Deputy Presiding Officer | Kerry Ferguson MS |  |
12 May 2026 | Plaid Cymru | Ceredigion Penfro | |
List of Llywyddion (Presiding Officers)
[edit]| Name | Picture | Entered office | Left office | Political party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dafydd Elis-Thomas, Lord Elis-Thomas AM | _(cropped).jpg) |
12 May 1999 | 11 May 2011 | Plaid Cymru | |
| Dame Rosemary Butler AM |  |
11 May 2011 | 11 May 2016 | Labour | |
| Elin Jones MS | .jpg) |
11 May 2016 | 12 May 2026 | Plaid Cymru | |
| Huw Irranca-Davies MS | |
12 May 2026 | Incumbent | Labour | |
List of Deputy Presiding Officers
[edit]| Name | Picture | Entered office | Left office | Political party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jane Davidson AM |  |
12 May 1999 | 17 October 2000 | Labour | |
| John Marek AM |  |
19 October 2000 | 7 May 2003 | Labour | |
| 7 May 2003 | 9 May 2007 | Forward Wales | |||
| Rosemary Butler AM | |
9 May 2007 | 11 May 2011 | Labour | |
| David Melding AM |  |
11 May 2011 | 11 May 2016 | Conservative | |
| Ann Jones MS |  |
11 May 2016 | 12 May 2021 | Labour | |
| David Rees MS | .jpg) |
12 May 2021 | 12 May 2026 | Labour | |
| Kerry Ferguson MS | |
12 May 2026 | Incumbent | Plaid Cymru | |
List of Llywydd elections
[edit]| Llywydd elections | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Senedd term | Date | Candidates | Votes received |
| 1st Assembly | 12 May 1999[7] | Dafydd Elis-Thomas | Unopposed |
| 2nd Assembly | 7 May 2003 | Dafydd Elis-Thomas | Unopposed |
| 3rd Assembly | 9 May 2007 | Dafydd Elis-Thomas | Unopposed |
| 4th Assembly | 11 May 2011[8] | Rosemary Butler | Unopposed |
| 5th Assembly | 11 May 2016[9] | Elin Jones | 34 |
| Dafydd Elis-Thomas | 25 | ||
| 6th Senedd | 12 May 2021 | Elin Jones | 35 |
| Russell George | 25 | ||
| 7th Senedd | 12 May 2026 | Huw Irranca-Davies | 85 |
| Paul Davies | (did not receive a seconder) | ||
List of Deputy Presiding Officer elections
[edit]| Deputy Presiding Officer elections | Votes received | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Senedd term | Date | Candidates | Votes received |
| 1st Assembly | 12 May 1999[7] | Jane Davidson | Unopposed |
| 19 October 2000[10] | John Marek | 28 | |
| Rosemary Butler | 27 | ||
| 2nd Assembly | 7 May 2003[11] | John Marek | 30 |
| Peter Law | 29 | ||
| 3rd Assembly | 9 May 2007[12] | Rosemary Butler | Unopposed |
| 4th Assembly | 11 May 2011[8] | David Melding | 46 |
| William Graham | 12 | ||
| 5th Assembly | 11 May 2016[9] | Ann Jones | 30 |
| John Griffiths | 29 | ||
| 6th Senedd | 12 May 2021 | David Rees | 35 |
| Hefin David | 24 | ||
| 7th Senedd | 12 May 2026 | Kerry Ferguson | Unopposed |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ "Deputy Presiding Officer". senedd.wales. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
- ↑ Mansfield, Mark (7 May 2026). "Senedd Election 2026: What happens next?". Nation.Cymru. Retrieved 11 May 2026.
- ↑ "Government of Wales Act 2006, section 25(1A)". legislation.gov.uk.
- ↑ "Standing Orders of the Welsh Parliament, SO6.20-6.21" (PDF). Retrieved 29 April 2022.
- ↑ "Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000, Schedule 1, paragraph 16A". legislation.gov.uk.
- ↑ "Llywydd's Committee". senedd.wales. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
- 1 2 "Official record" (PDF). www.assembly.wales. Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 December 2017. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
- 1 2 "Business item". National Assembly for Wales.
- 1 2 "Record of Proceedings". National Assembly for Wales. Archived from the original on 26 September 2021. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
- ↑ "Official record" (PDF). www.assembly.wales. Archived (PDF) from the original on 31 August 2018. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
- ↑ "Official record" (PDF). www.assembly.wales. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
- ↑ "Business item". National Assembly for Wales. Archived from the original on 30 January 2020. Retrieved 30 January 2020.