The Welsh Liberal Democrats have announced their lead list candidates for five of their top target constituencies in the 2026 Senedd election at their Spring Conference in Cardiff at the weekend. The Senedd will now be elected entirely by proportional representation using closed party lists and the D’Hondt system. This replaces the previous system of first past the post constituencies and a top up list. Wales has been divided up into 16 constituencies, each electing 6 MSs.
Party Leader Jane Dodds MS will head the party’s list in the Brecheiniog Tawe Nedd constituency. Cllr Rodney Berman and Cllr Sam Bennett, the party’s group leaders on Cardiff and Swansea councils, have been selected to lead the lists in Caerdydd Ffynnon Taf and Gwyr Abertawe constituencies respectively.
In Ceredigion Benfro, local business owner Sandra Jervis will lead the party’s list, while the Gwynedd Maldwyn list will be headed up by Llanidloes County Councillor Glyn Preston.
The party hopes to win seats in all parts of Wales at next year’s election especially in areas where we have historic support and a strong local government base.
More candidates for additional seats will be announced in the coming weeks.
Jane Dodds said:
I’m proud to be leading a party of incredible local champions, deeply rooted in their communities, who are putting themselves forward to represent their constituencies in the Senedd.
In this election, the Welsh Lib Dems will be the antidote to years of failure under Labour and the Conservatives, and to the Trumpian delusions of populists and nationalists.
Our candidates will be relentlessly focused on improving people’s lives and everyday issues such as fixing the Welsh NHS and growing the Welsh economy.
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One Comment
As these elections are held under a particular PR system, an alliance between the Lib Dems and the Greens could see them take 1/6 of the seats, the alternative of ploughing on with a FPTP approach is that both parties will win none. Understand that 16 Members of the Senedd almost guaranteed as opposed to just one.
Both parties would still have a candidate in each seat and it would shake up Welsh politics like nothing that has been seen in 100 years.
If the parties don’t do it, they are just handing more seats to reform. It is a shame the LIb Dems and Greens so often have no strategic sense.