In a surprising move, Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth has stated that his party would prefer to form a minority government rather than enter into a coalition with another party after the upcoming Senedd election in Wales. This statement comes in the wake of a recent opinion poll that suggests Plaid Cymru is on track to win the Welsh election on 7 May.
Ap Iorwerth’s comments, made during an interview with the Gwleidydda podcast on BBC Radio Cymru, indicate that the party is confident it can successfully lead a minority government. “We can – if we fight an effective election and build trust with people – lead a minority government and do that successfully,” he said.
The Plaid Cymru leader added that he is “determined that that minority government would make it clear from the start to whoever else is in that part of the [political] spectrum that we want to work together.” He went on to say that the party would “look at who we can work with, issue by issue, policy by policy, budget by budget and so on.”
Ap Iorwerth’s comments have sparked ongoing speculation around how Plaid Cymru would govern if they win the election but fail to secure a majority. Professor Richard Wyn Jones from the Wales Governance Centre at Cardiff University cautioned that it is “much more difficult to run a government” with a small minority, suggesting that Ap Iorwerth’s remarks could be an attempt to “avoid questions and accusations” from the Conservatives and Reform UK.
The upcoming Senedd election is set to be a crucial one, with the voting system changes making it highly unlikely that any party will win an outright majority. In the past, Labour has been the largest party in the Senedd but has had to strike deals with opposition parties to pass legislation and budgets.
Ap Iorwerth’s preference for a minority government over a coalition arrangement could signal a shift in the political landscape in Wales. If Plaid Cymru does emerge as the largest party, their ability to navigate the complex and often unpredictable world of minority government will be put to the test.