A proposed new voting system for the next Welsh Parliament election has sparked concern among politicians. The Welsh Parliament is set to expand from 60 to 96 members, with 16 new constituencies each electing six candidates through a closed list system. Critics have warned that the proposed system gives all the power to political parties, while others argue that having constituencies that stretch almost too big for people to feel part of will confuse the public.
Labour Member of the Senedd, Mike Hedges, criticised the closed lists system, but the man behind new legislation to make the changes a reality, Welsh Government Counsel General Mick Antoniw, said it was a compromise with no unanimity over what the new system should be. Antoniw called the closed lists “a compromise”. The new voting system will be “a far more representative system than first past the post and it will get rid of the regional vote system, so every vote will count,” he said.
The legislation includes the potential for a review of the system after 2026 if the Senedd feels there is a need for a change. Advocates of a bigger Senedd say it has been long needed because its responsibilities have grown since 2011. The bill, which is part of Labour’s manifesto pledge and backed by Plaid Cymru, is likely to pass. Welsh Conservatives remain opposed to the plans.
Heledd Fychan, a member of the reform committee, said, “We need more politicians”. Fychan is a fan of the single transferrable vote, where parties produce a list, but voters can decide which of their candidates they prefer. “But at least we are getting rid of the least democratic system of first-past-the-post and having more proportional representation,” she said. Conservative Darren Millar, meanwhile, who is opposed to Senedd expansion, said a referendum should take place “because it is such a significant change
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