Greens hoping for 'historic Senedd breakthrough'

Anthony Slaughter says a new Senedd electoral system "is an opening for us"

The Green Party will win its first ever seat in the Senedd at next year's election, according to the party's leader in Wales.

Speaking ahead of the Green Party's Welsh conference in Cardiff this weekend, Anthony Slaughter said his party was on the verge of an "historic breakthrough".

He said the party's membership in Wales had "trebled" in recent months, following Zack Polanski's election as the leader of the Green Party of England and Wales.

The Senedd is the only parliament in the UK where the Greens have never been represented. However, the most recent Cardiff University seat projection suggested the party could win one seat in the election next year, in May.

The Greens hope to benefit from forthcoming changes to how Members of the Senedd (MS) are elected.

The first-past-the-post system currently used to elect two thirds of Members will end, and all politicians will be elected via a proportional, closed-list system.

At the same time, the number of MSs will be increased, from 60 to 96.

Although the Greens would have preferred a different proportional voting system, Slaughter believes the chosen proportional voting method provides "an opening" for the party.

"It is far better than the old system. It's easier to explain to people - 'if you vote Green, you've got a good chance of getting Green'," he said.

Slaughter will be the Greens' leading candidate in Caerdydd Penarth, where the party is most confident of securing their first seat in the Senedd this May.

However, he claimed a total of three Senedd seats is a "realistic" target for the party.

Slaughter says the Greens would bring a "truly fresh and radical voice" to Welsh governance.

In his conference speech, he plans to tell supporters: "We've been waiting for this opportunity for many years."

"We can finally replace this tired, clapped-out, complacent Welsh government with one that's buzzing with excitement about making Wales better."

"We'll bring wealth taxes to Wales, by replacing council tax with a system where wealthy property owners pay more.

"We can start putting money back into our councils to provide better local services.

"We can build tens of thousands of new council homes. We can nationalise water, so we can cut bills and clean up our rivers."

Relief at by-election result

At last month's Caerphilly by-election, which was won by Plaid Cymru, the Greens came fifth with just 1.5% of the vote.

Slaughter has put his party's weak performance down to tactical voting aimed at stopping Reform in a first-past-the-post vote.

"I don't think it's a reflection of our support in the area...a lot of people voted with their brain, perhaps not their heart," he said.

Slaughter added he was "relieved" that Reform had not won the by-election.

Recent polling suggests Plaid Cymru and Reform are competing to be the largest party at the election in May.

However, given the new voting system makes it highly unlikely any party will win a majority, any Green MSs could have "a disproportionate amount of influence and power", Slaughter said, and he suggested his party would be prepared to work with Plaid.

"Plaid would be the obvious choice.

"Obviously we're never going to work with Reform or the Conservatives.

"I don't think there'll be much of a Labour Party there to even think about working with," he added.

"But, as I've said before, there are all sorts of ways of parties working together."

Following the 2021 Scottish Parliament election, the Scottish Greens entered into a coalition with the SNP, but it collapsed in 2024 after the Scottish government scrapped climate change targets.