Former Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price faces uphill battle for Senedd re-election

North Wales Live

3 days ago

Plaid Cymru's former leader Adam Price faces an uphill battle to be re-elected as a Senedd member after missing out on the top two spots in Plaid's selection process for Carmarthenshire. The Senedd election in May 2026 is being fought under a new system, and with less than a year to go, parties are currently selecting their candidates.
Instead of the current combination of constituencies and regional lists, at the new election there will be 16 constituencies which will send six representatives to Cardiff Bay who will be chosen by proportional representation, making a total of 96MSs in the expended Senedd from next year.
All the parties have to select a list of six politicians with the ones at the top of the list the most likely to make it to Cardiff Bay, depending on how many votes the party wins in the constituency in next year's election.
Mr Price, the current Senedd Member for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr, has been selected in third place on Plaid's list in the new Sir Gaerfyrddin constituency. It means he will only win a seat if Plaid convincingly wins the most votes in the constituency and wins three or more out of the six seats on offer there.
Ahead of him on the list for are his current colleagues - Cefin Campbell, the current regional Senedd member for mid and west Wales, in first place and Nerys Evans, a former Assembly Member for the same region in second place. The candidate selected in fourth is Mari Arthur. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here.
It is not impossible that Mr Price will be successful yet his hopes depend on a much more favourable result in May next year than he would have needed if he had won the first or second slots on the list. Plaid is hopeful given a recent poll put it as the biggest party, you can see that here.
Plaid Cymru's process is ongoing with other seats currently being confirmed.
The party's rules are that it will not give preferential treatment to any existing Senedd member and that party members were able to vote and give a ranked choice. To encourage female candidates, the party has selected eight constituencies where a woman will be selected top of the list.
Mr Price was leader of the party from 2018 until 2023. He stood down after a damning report was published which found misogyny, harassment and bullying in the party.
That report, called Prosiect Pawb, was commissioned in 2022, and written by Nerys Evans.
It said too many instances of bad behaviour were tolerated, and said an anonymous survey of staff and elected members highlighted examples "of sexual harassment, bullying and discrimination".
Mr Price initially refused to quit but then said it was clear he no longer had the support of his colleagues and resigned. Rhun ap Iorwerth then became leader.
When Ms Evans announced her plan to run in April, she said on X. "It's been a very tough decision to make, and I've been humbled by the amount of Plaid Cymru members in that have urged me to do so. Now is not the time to sit on the sidelines, we all need to stand up for what we believe in these troubled political times."
She was elected between 2007 and 2011 for mid and west Wales, she then set up public affairs agency Deryn, now called Cavendish.
Mr Campbell said it was an "honour" to stand again. "It's an honour to once again stand for an area that means so much to me," he said.
In a statement released by the party, Mr Price said: "I would like to thank the members that showed me support during this process and congratulate Cefin on topping the list.
"The task now is for our team of candidates to work together and ensure our best ever result in Sir Gar at the next Senedd elections."
Elsewhere in Wales, other selections include councillor Carrie Harper selected top of the Fflint Wrecsam list and former party chair Dafydd Trystan top of the Caerdydd Ffynnon Taf. Current Senedd member Luke Fletcher had hoped to be re-elected to Pen-y-Bont Morgannwg but has also come third.