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| 2006 Cynghordy Election | ||||
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| All 70 seats to the Cynghordy | ||||
| 11th May 2006 | ||||
| First party | Second party | |||
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| Leader | Ieuan Wyn Jones | Neihal Cynnog | ||
| Party | Blaid Ryddfrydol - Liberal Party (RLP) | Blaid Sosialwyr Democrataidd - Democratic Socialist Party (BSD/DSP) | ||
| Last election | 14 seats | 20 seats | ||
| Seats won | 17 seats | 14 seats | ||
| Seat change | +3 | -6 | ||
| Popular vote | 957,763 | 630,907 | ||
| Percentage | 25.2% | 16.6% | ||
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Seat results. The ruling BSD/SDP lost seats to Braint -Liberty, the losses enough to give enough seats so that the Rhyddfrydwyr-Braint coalition could secure 29 seats between them. With the aid of the Blaid Werdd - Green Party, this gave them control of 34 seats, two short of a majority. However, since one of the new Senators was from the Blaid yr Eryr Wên- White Eagle Party, this left the Cnghordy deadlocked. As a result, Ieuan Wyn Jones succeeded Neihal Cynnog as Penystafellydd y Cynghordy | ||||
Penaeth y Cynghordy before election
Neihal Cynnog Blaid Sosialwyr Democrataidd - Democratic Socialist Party (BSD/DSP)
Elected Penaeth y Cynghordy
Ieuan Wyn Jones Blaid Ryddfrydol - Liberal Party (RLP) | ||||
The 2006 election to the Cynghordy (Senate/Upper House ) was contested on the 11th May 2006. The Cynghordy is not the Governing House of the Welsh Senedd, but a revising Chamber. Its role is to support and monitor the government based in the Cynrychioldy (House of Representatives). That is not to say that the Upper House doesn't have its powers. It can block and stall government legislation, preventing the government from fully carrying out its wishes. It also acts as a Secondary Government should the Canghellor government fall to a vote of no confidence.
Background
The 70 member Cynghordy known as Cynhorwydd is constitutionally fixed to 6 year term of office and stand for re-election 3 times as a Cynghorwydd. The Leader of the Cyngordy is called the Pen-ystafellydd y Cyngordy. His role in Government is to sit in the Cyfrin-Gyngor y Brenin - Kings Privy Council and to also act as a Ateg-gynghellor - Acting Chancellor should the Government fall. The Chamberlain's role during such a time is to continue the role of government whilst arranging a General Election to provide a new Chancellor and new Government.
The 2006 election was fought primarily between three parties, the RLP, the DSP & Socialist. The Socialists were the former Communist Party and they had controlled the Cynghordy since the 2000 elections, and had briefly controlled both Houses (between 2000 and 2003). During the 2006 election the Pen-ystellydd y Cynghordy was Neihal Cynnog.
Parties Contesting the Election
- Blaid Ryddfrydol - Liberal Party (RLP) - Left of Centre party
- Blaid Sosialwyr Democeataidd - Social Democrat Party (BSD-SDP) - Centre left party
- Blaid Werdd - The Green Party (Gwyrddion) - Environmental party
- Y Sosialwyr - Socialist Party (Socs)- Left wing party
- Blaid Ymlaen - Forward Party (Blaenwyr) - Centerist party
- Blaid yr Eryr Wên - The White Eagle Party (Gwynion) - Far right party
- Catholvatia (gynt/formaly, Blaid Geidwadol Gatholigaidd - Conservative Catholic Part) - Right wing party
- Blaid Comiwnyddol - The Communist Party (Comis) - Far left party
Electoral Regions & Voting System
- Ynys Mon
- Gwynedd Uwch Conwy
- Gwynedd Is Conwy
- Ceredigion
- Dyfed
- Ty Dewi
- Penfro
- Ystrad Twyi
- Seisyllwg
- Cydweli
- Gwyr
- Morgannwg Uchaf
- Bro Morgannwg
- Gwent
- Dean
- Ergyng
- Brycheiniog
- Powys Wenwynwyn
- Powys Fadog
- Y Mers
- Henffordd
- Gwlad yr Haf
- Dyfnaint Glan Hafren
All the regions elect 2 Senators from a 1st Past the Post System which see's the top two candidates returned as Senior and Junior Senators for their region. The ballot paper then holds a Regional List of Additional Members, who are elected according to the proportion of the popular vote the parties gain over a "Super Region". The system is called | Mixed member proportional representation. The Super Regions are as follows
- Rhanbarth y Gogledd (North Region): Mon & the 2 Gwynedd's
- Rhanbarth Ganol (Mid Region): Ceredigion & Powys
- Rhanbarth Uwch Benfro (West Region): TyDewi, Penfro, Dyfed, and Ystrad Twyi
- Ranbarth Is Benfro (South West Central): Cydweli, Seisyllwg & Gwyr
- Rhanbarth y De (South Region): The two Morgannwgs & Gwent
- Rhanbarth Offa (East Region): Y Mers & Henffordd
- Rhanbarth y Bannau (South East Central Region): Brycheiniog, Ergyng & Dean
- Rhanbarth Hafren (South Below the Waters): Gwlad yr Haf & Dyfnaint Glan Hafren
In this manner we have 46 directly elected Senators and 24 proportionally elected Senators present in the House.
The Election Campaign
The election campaign opened in the January of 2006 with the King officially dissolving the Cynghordy, the two main parties (RLP & BSD) and their respective leaders, Ieuan Wyn Jones and Neihal Cynnog began campaigning. The traditional power brokers were the BSD, but in the late 1990's a new political party, the Ymlaen party had begun to increase in popularity. During this campaign, its leader, Ioan Meurig, oversaw a surge in its popularity. The months of February and March saw bitter debates from all sides, as this election was being used as a litmus test on the BSD of Dafydd Iwan. Opinion polls held in April put the election down to the wire and all parties waited nervously for the results.
Election Night - 11th May 2006
The exit polls on the 11th May indicated that the results would be close but the results were an earthquake in terms of Welsh politics. BSD, led by Neihal Cynnog in the Cyngordy, and part of Iwan's overall BSD Government lost 6 seats to the Ymlaen party. With the RLP gaining at the expense of the Catholvitia and the BSD, it was Ieuan Wyn Jones who at the end of the election night had a majority of seats. With such a landslide in the Cynghordy, the Government of Dafydd Iwan now looked on shaky ground.
| Party | Direct Vote Seats | Additional Member Seats |
|---|---|---|
| Blaid Ryddfrydol - Liberal Party (RLP) | 14 | 3 |
| Blaid Sosialwyr Democeataidd - Social Democrat Party (BSD-SDP) | 10 | 2 |
| Y Sosialwyr - Socialist Party (Socs) | 11 | 3 |
| Blaid yr Eryr Wên - The White Eagle Party (Gwynion) | 0 | 1 |
| Blaid Ymlaen - Forward Party (Blaenwyr) | 6 | 6 |
| Blaid Werdd - The Green Party (Gwyrddion) | 1 | 4 |
| Catholvatia | 4 | 4 |
| Blaid Comiwnyddol - The Communist Party (Comis) | 0 | 1 |