Members of the Senedd voted to pass the Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Bill in the week that marks 25 years of devolution in Wales.
The legislation will mean that from the 2026 Senedd election there will be 96 Members of the Senedd, who will all be elected using a proportional closed list system, with all candidates named on ballot papers.
This means that voters will only be able to choose a party to support, who will then select the candidate, rather than voters being able to select specific candidates from each party.
The current combination of 40 local and 20 regional Senedd members would be replaced by 16 larger constituencies, each represented by six members.
As part of the new law, all candidates to and Members of the Senedd will need to be resident in Wales. Senedd elections will be held every four years from 2026 onwards.
Welsh Government’s Counsel General, Mick Antoniw, said: “In a month when we mark 25 years of devolution in Wales, the passing of this Bill is a significant milestone for Welsh democracy.
“Over the last quarter-century the Senedd’s responsibilities have grown, including law-making and tax-varying powers, but its capacity has not.
“Wales is the most under-represented country in the UK – the Senedd has the least Members of any devolved Parliament in the country, and our UK Parliamentary seats are being reduced.
“Today, Members of the Senedd have voted to correct that under-representation and strengthen our democracy. This vote will ensure our Senedd has greater capacity to scrutinise laws, spending plans, and hold the Welsh Government to account.
Sian Gwenllian, MS, Lead Designated Member for Plaid Cymru on the Co-operation Agreement with the ruling Labour party said: “Today represents another historic step forward that strengthens our democracy and creates a stronger, more representative and more effective Senedd.
“As we mark 25 years since the first Senedd election, the next elections to our national parliament in 2026 will be under a new, more proportional system where Members can better hold the Welsh Government to account and better scrutinise the decisions that impact us all.
“As the powers and responsibilities of the Senedd have grown, we have reached the point where our democracy needs to mature further so we can meet our ambitions for Wales. Wales should not be short changed democratically.”
Members of the opposition Welsh Conservatives, who voted against the bill decribed it as a “national embarrassment”.
Darren Millar MS, Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister for the Constitution, said: “This is a sad day for Welsh democracy; a larger parliament, wholesale changes to the voting system, but no referendum for the Welsh people.
“The £120 million plan for more politicians, more fancy offices and a larger Senedd are the furthest thing from the Welsh people’s priorities, but that’s what Labour and Plaid have pushed through today.
“I have said it before and I will say it again. Wales desperately needs more doctors, dentists, nurses and teachers, not Labour and Plaid’s plans to spend millions on more politicians.”
Leader of the Welsh Conservatives, Andrew RT Davies MS, added: “Labour and Plaid’s insistence on wasting so much time and money creating 36 more politicians is a national embarrassment.
“Our Welsh NHS is on its knees, educational attainment is collapsing and employment numbers are plummeting, but this vanity project is Labour and Plaid’s top priority.
“The Welsh Conservatives would reverse these plans and spend the money on our health service instead.”
