First Minister of Wales

First Minister of Wales
Prif Weinidog Cymru (Welsh)
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Incumbent Eluned Morgan, Baroness Morgan of Ely since 6 August 2024 (2024-08-06)
Welsh Government Welsh Cabinet Senedd
Style	First Minister (informal) The Right Honourable (UK and Commonwealth) Her Excellency (international)
Status	Head of Government
Abbreviation	FM
Member of	Senedd Welsh Cabinet Privy Council British-Irish Council PM and Heads of Devolved Governments Council Council of the Nations and Regions
Reports to	Senedd
Seat	Crown Buildings, Cathays Park, Cardiff
Nominator	Senedd
Appointer	The Monarch
Term length	Five years
Formation	12 May 1999
First holder	Alun Michael AM
Salary	£148,575 per annum (2022)[1] (including £67,920 MS salary)
Website	www.gov.wales/eluned-morgan-ms

This article is part of a series within the Politics of the United Kingdom on the
Politics of Wales
The Crown The Monarch Charles III Heir Apparent William, Prince of Wales Prerogative Royal family Succession Privy Council King-in-Parliament Lord-lieutenant Llwynywermod England and Wales Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542 Principality of Wales Welsh republicanism
Government Welsh Government Eluned Morgan government (list) First Minister (list) Rt Hon Eluned Morgan MS (L) Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies MS (L) Cabinet Civil Service Welsh Budget Taxation Directorates Sponsored bodies State-owned enterprises Crown Buildings, Cathays Park Counsel General-designate – Elisabeth Jones Chief Whip and Trefnydd – Jane Hutt MS (L) Permanent Secretary International relations Welsh Government international offices
Legislature Senedd Sixth Senedd Llywydd (Presiding Officer) Elin Jones MS (PC) Leader of the Opposition Andrew RT Davies MS (C) Shadow Cabinet (current) Welsh law Primary ( Acts Measures list ) Secondary ( Statutory instruments list ) Members (MSs) Current members Elections (by-elections) Constituencies and electoral regions First Minister's Questions Senedd Commissioner for Standards Devolution referendum (2011 referendum) Government of Wales Act 1998 2006 Act 2014 Act 2017 Act Senedd estate, Cardiff Bay (Senedd building Tŷ Hywel Pierhead Building)
Wales and the United Kingdom HM Government Starmer ministry Prime Minister Rt Hon Keir Starmer MP (L) Secretary of State for Wales Rt Hon Jo Stevens MP (L) UK Parliament 59th Parliament House of Commons Wales Office Under-Secretary Welsh Grand Committee Welsh Affairs Select Committee Interministerial Standing Committee Government of Wales Act 2006 Elections Constituencies Current Westminster MPs Barnett formula Devolution Devolved matters Reserved matters Legislative consent motion Unionism Independence Politics of the United Kingdom
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Local administration History Subdivisions of Wales Historic counties (list) Preserved counties (list) Principal areas (list) Former districts list pre-1973 list 1974-1996 Communities (list) Local government Principal councils (leader list) Corporate Joint Committees Cities (list) Cardiff (Mayor / Council) Swansea (Mayor / Council) Newport (Mayor / Council) Wrexham (Mayor / Council) Community council (list) Communities with city status Bangor St Asaph St Davids Local twinning see also: Regional terms and Regional economy
Elections and referendums Senedd elections 1999 2003 2007 2011 2016 2021 Next United Kingdom Parliament elections 1801 co-option 1802 1806 1807 1812 1818 1820 1826 1830 1831 1832 1835 1837 1841 1847 1852 1857 1859 1865 1868 1874 1880 1885 1886 1892 1895 1900 1906 1910 (Jan) 1910 (Dec) 1918 1922 1923 1924 1929 1931 1935 1945 1950 1951 1955 1959 1964 1966 1970 1974 (Feb) 1974 (Oct) 1979 1983 1987 1992 1997 2001 2005 2010 2015 2017 2019 2024 European Parliament elections (1979–2020) 1979 1984 1989 1994 1999 2004 2009 2014 2019 Local elections 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1999 2004 2008 2012 2017 2022 Police and crime commissioner elections 2012 2016 2021 Referendums 1975 1979 1997 2011 2011 2016 1915–16 Anglican border polls 2004 Ceredigion mayoral Senedd constituencies and electoral regions UK parliamentary constituencies in Wales Political parties Represented in the Senedd (Labour Conservatives Plaid Cymru Liberal Democrats) Think tanks
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The first minister of Wales (Welsh: Prif Weinidog Cymru) is the leader of the Welsh Government and keeper of the Welsh Seal. The first minister chairs the Welsh Cabinet and is primarily responsible for the formulation, development and presentation of Welsh Government policy. Additional functions of the first minister include promoting and representing Wales in an official capacity, at home and abroad, and responsibility for constitutional affairs, as they relate to devolution and the Welsh Government.

The first minister is a Member of the Senedd, and is nominated by the Senedd (Welsh Parliament; Welsh: Senedd Cymru), before being officially appointed by the Monarch. Members of the Welsh Cabinet and junior ministers of the Welsh Government, as well as law officers, are appointed by the first minister. As head of the Welsh Government, the first minister is directly accountable to the Senedd for their actions and the actions of the Welsh Government. The main office of the first minister is in Tŷ Hywel, which is adjacent to the Senedd building in Cardiff Bay.^[2] An additional office is also kept at the Crown Buildings, Cathays Park, Cardiff which is the headquarters of the Welsh Government.

The incumbent first minister of Wales is Eluned Morgan, Baroness Morgan of Ely, who has served since August 2024.^[3] The Senedd nominated her as First Minister on 6 August 2024, with Charles III making the appointment on the same day.^[4][5]