Plaid Cymru largest party in Senedd after historic election
Getty ImagesPlaid Cymru is the largest party in Wales' parliament - the Senedd - in a dramatic and historic election that saw Labour's century-long dominance over the nation's politics come to an end.
Reform UK has come second, pushing Labour - which has run Wales for 27 years - into third place.
Plaid has fallen short of a majority in the 96-member Senedd, but with 43 seats has a better chance than anyone of forming a government.
Its leader Rhun ap Iorwerth, who is looking increasingly likely to be the next first minister, said his party was "ready to serve".
The current First Minister, Eluned Morgan, has lost her seat and has resigned as Welsh Labour leader.
Ap Iorwerth will likely require the support of opposition Members of the Senedd (MSs) to get important votes through Parliament.
Voters have elected a new larger Senedd for the first time, with the number of seats increasing from 60 to 96.
But a new voting system has seen smaller parties - including the UK's historic parties of government, Labour and the Conservatives - squeezed into single figures.
Plaid Cymru had appealed to voters to back them to stop Reform - a strategy cited by many in Labour as behind the party's success, and Labour's failure.
However some in the party have also blamed the UK government including former minister Mick Antoniw, who has called for Sir Keir Starmer to resign.
By the final result, after all 96 seats were declared:
- Plaid Cymru had won 43 seats
- There were 34 seats for Reform
- Labour won nine seats - it had half the seats in the old Senedd
- There are seven seats for the Conservatives
- Two seats for the Greens - both in Cardiff
- One seat for Welsh Liberal Democrat leader Jane Dodds
PA MediaThere is full coverage of the results and reaction to them across BBC Wales online, television and radio.
Morgan, who took over Welsh Labour in 2024 after a period of turmoil in the party over her predecessor, is the first leader of a government in the UK to lose their seat while in office.
Speaking at her election count in Llandysul, Morgan said she would resign as Welsh Labour leader, took "full responsibility" for the result and congratulated Plaid Cymru on "their momentous success".
She called for the UK Labour government to "change course".
"It is clear that results across the whole of the United Kingdom have demonstrated deep frustration with the Labour Party. We need to go back to being the party of the working class," she said.
Sir Keir Starmer thanked Morgan for her service, saying she had been a "formidable first minister and tireless champion for Wales".
