Wales’s first minister, Mark Drakeford, has announced his resignation after five years in the role.

Mr Drakeford, who has represented Cardiff West in the Senedd (Welsh Parliament) since 2011, has been first minister and leader of Welsh Labour since December 2018.

Under his leadership Labour secured 30 of the Senedd’s 60 seats in the 2021 election, which resulted in the signing of a cooperation agreement between Labour and Plaid Cymru.

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He led Wales through the COVID pandemic, with some praise for his cautious approach to lockdown restrictions while others criticised his insistence not to call an independent COVID inquiry specifically for Wales.

Beyond the pandemic, his time in the role focused on constitutional reform, introducing plans to increase the number of Senedd members to 96.

Another focus of his was on housing, with a change to the rules to allow councils to charge more council tax on second homes.

The Drakeford government also gradually introduced free school meals for all primary school pupils in Wales.

His governments also prioritised the climate emergency, announcing that most new road-building projects in Wales would not be funded, with greener alternatives such as public transport considered instead.

One of his most controversial policies was a default 20mph speed limit in built-up areas.

‘Yes campaign’

Before becoming first minister, he served in successive cabinets as health minister from 2013 to 2016 and as finance minister from 2016 to 2018.

After his election as first minister, he was made a member of the Privy Council in February 2019.

From 2000 to 2010 he worked as the Welsh government’s health and social policy adviser.

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Mark Drakeford: First minister of Wales announces resignation
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Toward the end of this period, he was head of the first minister’s political office during the late Rhodri Morgan’s premiership.

He was a part of the “Yes campaign” in the 1997 referendum, calling for the creation of a devolved assembly in Wales.

His political career began in the 1980s as a Labour councillor on the then-called South Glamorgan County Council.

During his time on the council he specialised in education issues, including Welsh-medium education.

Living in ‘a hut’

Before entering politics, Mr Drakeford worked as a probation officer, youth justice worker and a project leader for Barnados.

He has also been a professor of social policy and applied social sciences at Cardiff University and has previously taught at Swansea University.

He was married to Clare until her death in January 2023, and they have three children together.

During the pandemic, he said he spent some time living in a “miniature hut” in his garden to protect his shielding wife and mother-in-law while he attended to governmental duties.

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A successor as leader of Welsh Labour and first minister will be elected in the coming weeks.

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