National Assembly for Wales election, 1999

National Assembly for Wales election, 1999

6 May 1999 2003 →
All 60 seats to the National Assembly for Wales 31 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	46%
First party Second party   Leader Alun Michael Dafydd Wigley Party Labour Plaid Cymru Leader's seat Mid and West Wales Caernarfon Seats won 28 17 Constituency Votes 384,671 290,572 Constituency % 37.6 28.4 List Votes 361,657 312,048 List % 35.4 30.5   Third party Fourth party   Leader Rod Richards Michael German Party Conservative Liberal Democrats Leader's seat North Wales South Wales East Seats won 9 6 Constituency Votes 162,133 137,857 Constituency % 15.8 13.5 List Votes 168,206 128,008 List % 16.5 12.5
The left side shows constituency winners of the election by their party colours. The right side shows regional winners of the election for the additional members by their party colours.
Elected First Secretary Alun Michael Labour

Alun Michael
Labour

The first National Assembly for Wales elections were held on 6 May 1999. The overall turnout of voters was 46.3%. Although Welsh Labour were the biggest party, they did not gain enough seats to form a majority government and instead entered into coalition with the Liberal Democrats. The election was marked by the historically high level of support for Plaid Cymru, who won their highest share of the vote in any Wales-wide election and, as of 2016, their highest number of seats in an Assembly election to date. The party won considerable support in traditionally safe Labour areas such as the South Wales Valleys, winning Rhondda and Islwyn and narrowly failing to win a number of other seats.

For lists of constituencies and regions, see National Assembly for Wales constituencies and electoral regions.