A transformed Welsh political landscape.

What does Plaid Cymru’s first term in government mean for planning and energy in Wales?

The 2026 Senedd election has moved the centre of gravity of Welsh politics more than any vote since devolution. There are now 96 MSs in a reformed and expanded Senedd, elected under a new voting system, and it isn’t just the new faces that will need careful handling over the next five years. It’s the change in priorities, ideology and approach that comes with them.

This report looks at the new Senedd, the new Welsh Government and the political landscape now taking shape around them. It profiles the ministers who will shape this space, sets out the housing and energy priorities driving their portfolios, and examines how committee composition will shape the scrutiny ministers face.