Welsh Government publishes plans to improve Senedd gender balance

The Welsh Government has published proposals designed to increase the proportion of women standing as candidates in future Senedd elections.

The Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill aims to make the Senedd more effective by being more representative of Wales.

The Bill is based on recommendations made by the Special Purpose Committee on Senedd Reform. The recommendations were endorsed by a majority of Senedd Members in June 2022.

If the Bill does become law, political parties putting forward more than one candidate in a constituency at a Senedd election will need to ensure women make up at least half of the list. Parties would also need to place women at the top of at least half of their constituency candidate lists.

In 2021, a study by the European Institute for Gender Equality found 11 EU Member States with legislative gender quotas had increased the share of women in their parliaments almost three times faster than countries without quotas.

After statutory quotas were introduced in Ireland, there was a 40 per cent increase in the number of women elected to the Irish parliament in 2016.

Women make up 51 per cent of the population of Wales, but 43 per cent of Members of the Senedd. In the 2021 Senedd election, less than a third (31 per cent) of the 470 candidates put forward by political parties in Wales were women.

In 2003, Wales was the first country in the world to achieve equal representation of men and women in what was then the National Assembly. However, since then the proportion of women in the Senedd has fallen.

Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip Jane Hutt, said: "Twenty years ago Wales made history when 50% of members elected to the then National Assembly were women, but that number has since fallen.

"This Bill aims to achieve a gender balanced Senedd. Having a Senedd which better reflects the make-up of Wales is good for politics, good for representation and good for policy making.

Leader of Plaid Cymru, Rhun ap Iorwerth, said: "We want to create a more effective Senedd that truly represents Wales and that means ensuring more women standing for election and taking seats in the chamber.

"The reforms being put forward are a leap forward in strengthening democracy in Wales so that the Senedd reflects our modern nation."

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