Populism and the enlarged Senedd: A test for Welsh democracy
Brenig Davies
A new chapter in Welsh politics
The election to the Seventh Senedd marked a significant moment in Welsh politics. It altered the balance of political power and introduced a more populist style of opposition, characterised by direct appeals to public sentiment and a more confrontational approach to governance.
Whether that strengthens democratic accountability or makes constructive politics more difficult remains one of the defining questions facing the new Senedd.
The growing prominence of populism should not be dismissed as a passing political development. Experience elsewhere suggests that once proven, such movements often reshape public debate for many years. Across many democracies, it has become a significant political force, often drawing support from voters who feel overlooked by traditional parties and unconvinced that existing political structures respond to their concerns. Its electoral success reflects genuine public dissatisfaction. In Wales, the electorate has given populism a prominent place within the Senedd. The challenge now is whether that electoral success can be matched by effective accountability, constructive opposition, and better legislation.
Populism and Welsh political culture
Populism does not sit comfortably with the communitarian traditions that have long influenced Welsh life. Nevertheless, democracies depend upon disagreement, but they also depend upon a willingness to listen before deciding. Effective legislatures earn respect not through their loudest debates but through careful examination and sound judgement.
The expansion of the Senedd was intended to strengthen democratic oversight by creating more Members and greater capacity for committee work. Whether those ambitions are realised will depend less on numbers than on how effectively Members carry out their responsibilities. Used well, that additional capacity should lead to more thorough scrutiny and more robust legislation, raising important questions about how opposition should run in an enlarged Senedd.
The responsibilities of the opposition
Members are judged not simply by media attention or speeches in the Siambr but by careful preparation, teamwork, and the quality of their contribution. These qualities are more likely to influence legislation than the pursuit of headlines.
Working within the Senedd requires patience, thorough examination of evidence, and a willingness to compromise if better laws are to result and progress is to be made for the benefit of Wales. For any opposition party, there is a balance to be struck between vigorous debate, political disagreement, and well-prepared argument.
An enlarged Senedd, new responsibilities
The enlarged Senedd also presents opportunities for smaller parties and independent voices to contribute more fully than in the past. Like every political party represented in the Senedd, a populist party must respect its democratic traditions, procedures, and responsibilities if it is to play a full and lasting role in Welsh public life.
The future of the Seventh Senedd
Its long-term success will depend just as much on the values that shape its work: respect, evidence, and a shared commitment to Wales’ democratic traditions.
The Seventh Senedd is about more than having additional Members. It reflects a changing political landscape, bringing new expectations and different ways of conducting public debate. Those changes present challenges, but also an opportunity to prove the resilience of Wales’ democracy.
It will be judged not on the volume of disagreement or the prominence of individual personalities, but on whether it produces well-crafted legislation and earns greater public confidence. Populist parties, like every other political movement, will rise or decline according to the confidence they earn. What should endure is not the fortunes of any single party, but the strength of Wales’ democracy.
If the Senedd produces well-crafted legislation and encourages responsible democratic debate, it will strengthen public confidence. That, more than the fortunes of any individual party, will be the true measure of its success.
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‘Working within the Senedd requires patience, thorough examination of evidence, and a willingness to compromise if better laws are to result and progress is to be made for the benefit of Wales. For any opposition party, there is a balance to be struck between vigorous debate, political disagreement, and well-prepared argument.’
Agreed. But this is true not only for opposition parties but also for the party running a minority government that will have to compromise to achieve majorities.