SEISMIC political changes have happened both in Wales and in Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire in the 2026 Senedd elections, with a Plaid victory, Reform coming second and Labour suffering.
In a battle for six seats in the new Ceredigion Penfro constituency, Plaid Cymru gained three seats, Reform two and Welsh Conservatives one.
For the May 7 elections, Wales had 16 constituencies instead of the previous 40.
Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru created the new constituencies for Wales and the Senedd now has 96 members instead of 60, each constituency electing six members.
For Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion, the new Ceredigion Penfro constituency is made up of the Ceredigion Preseli UK Parliamentary constituency and the Mid and South Pembrokeshire UK Parliamentary constituency, stretching from north of Aberystwyth to Angle in the southwest and Llanteg in the southeast.
The new voting system is based on a ‘closed proportional list system’; you vote for a political party (rather than individuals) or an independent candidate, the ballot paper showing the full list of candidates in your constituency.
If a party wins enough votes, they win one or more seats in the Senedd; if an independent candidate wins enough votes, they win a seat in the Senedd; seats reflecting the percentage of votes each party or independent candidate gets.
There were 44 candidates for the Ceredigion Penfro constituency, with a total of six seats up for grabs, the results announced at Llandysul’s Ysgol Bro Teifi, with one high profile loss former First Minister Eluned Morgan losing her Labour seat.
Out of 89,402 votes cast, Plaid Cymru gained 31,943; Reform 23,003; Welsh Conservatives 14,789; Labour 6,495; Green 6,324; Liberal Democrats 4,613; Gwlad 802; Heritage Party 442; Aaron Carey 368; George Alexander Chadzy 286, and Paul Haywood Dowson 88.
The six candidates elected saw three Plaid seats, two Reform and one Welsh Conservatives: Elin Jones, Kerry Ferguson, and Anna Nicholl Plaid Cymru; Susan Claire Archibald and Paul Marr Reform; Welsh Conservatives Paul Windsor Davies.
Wales-wide, Plaid gained 43 seats, Reform 34, Labour nine, Conservatives seven, Greens two, and Liberal Democrats one.
After the Ceredigion Penfro results were declared Elin Jones spoke at Llandysul, paying tribute to Eluned Morgan and her “energetic campaign,” and also had kind words for Conservative hopeful Sam Kurtz who failed to retain a Senedd seat.
“On a personal level, I just want to say to Sam Kurtz: I will miss you in the Senedd, you’ve been a fine representative.”
Reform’s Susan Claire Archibald, formerly a member of Pembroke Town Council, spoke on behalf of herself, fellow Reform winner Paul Marr, and the party’s supporters, saying the supporters would need “new shoes,” given Ceredigion Penfro’s “ginormous constituency”.
She added: “Paul and I are obviously very excited to get to work to representing our constituency of Ceredigion and Penfro.”
Paul Davies has thanked all who voted for his party, saying he was “deeply grateful for every single vote cast,” but added: “It has been a difficult day for our party, and unfortunately my friend and colleague Samuel Kurtz has not been re-elected.
“West Wales has lost a committed and passionate advocate in Sam. He has been an outstanding representative for the region, and I have no doubt he will return to frontline politics in the future.”
Mr Davies has, since the results came in, announced he is putting his name forward to be the next presiding officer in the Senedd.
Following former First Minister Eluned Morgan’s defeat in Ceredigion Penfro, Ken Skates has been appointed interim leader.
