The make up of the seventh Senedd
The Senedd elections on 7 May 2026 elected 96 MSs with the final results being declared as:
- Plaid Cymru: 43 seats
- Reform UK: 34 seats
- Welsh Labour: nine seats
- Welsh Conservatives: seven seats
- Wales Green Party: two seats
- Welsh Liberal Democrats: one seat.
Plaid Cymru is now the largest party in the Senedd, ending over 20 years of Welsh Labour being in power in Wales. Despite this, Plaid Cymru do not have an overall majority and will be governing with a minority government. This means they will need to work with opposition parties to pass legislation and budgets during this Senedd term.
A plan for housing in Wales
Ahead of the Senedd elections CIH Cymru published its manifesto for housing:
We have utilised the key asks within the manifesto to develop what we think a programme of government should look like in Wales. This programme of government: Implementing a plan for housing in Wales which sets out the following five key areas of work:
The starting point for any strategic approach to tackling the housing crisis – one that encompasses the whole housing system and its impact on wider public services – should be legislation to incorporate the right into Welsh law.
Wales is in the midst of a deep, structural housing emergency. We need to increase the number of social homes in Wales so that it meets a critical mass of at least 20 per cent of all homes in Wales to rebalance housing tenures, provide more housing options and help balance out prices in the private market.
We need to decarbonise our existing homes across housing tenure and ensure we mitigate the cost of fuel for the 25 per cent of all households and the 26 per cent of vulnerable households currently in fuel poverty in Wales.
More coordinated action is needed to address the stigma associated with social housing. We need a national campaign to focus on who lives in social housing and its importance in meeting demand for suitable, safe and affordable homes.
Housing, in line with other key professions, should be seen as a key pillar to supporting the delivery of public services in Wales, with housing professionals recognised as such by the wider public service.
These key areas of work and how they can be undertaken are supported by a detailed Housing Strategy for Wales – which sets out the evidence for these asks together with the progress made to date and the further work that is needed over the next four years.
