There have long been calls for the Senedd to better reflect the diversity of the people it represents. The Committee on Senedd Electoral Reform heard that diversity among those elected ‘enhances the way legislatures operate and represent their communities’. Under-representation risks excluding some voices from politics.
This article will explore some of the latest measures introduced to encourage under-represented groups to stand for election to the Senedd and to remove barriers they might face.
Why is representation important?
In their research, Sobolewska, McKee and Campbell found that more diverse legislatures tend to produce broader policy debates, greater responsiveness to constituents and higher levels of public confidence in democratic institutions.
Though any elected Member of the Senedd can represent the views of their constituents, the Committee on Senedd Electoral Reform said that it heard persuasive arguments about the benefits of diversity among elected representatives. The Committee also heard concerns that under-representation does not just mean fewer voices in the Senedd, it can limit the range of experiences which shape policies that affect all of the people of Wales.
Who has been ‘under-represented’?
Under-represented groups are ‘those groups with protected characteristics not similarly represented when compared to the population served by the body’. The Welsh Government has acknowledged a “common theme of historical underrepresentation in politics in Wales and the UK of certain groups of people who share particular protected characteristics or circumstances”.
The Senedd has generally had a relatively positive record on women’s representation and was the first parliament in the world to achieve gender parity in 2003. 43% of Members elected to the Sixth Senedd were women. This falls short of parity with the Welsh population, which is roughly a 50:50 split. The Expert Panel on Assembly Electoral Reform recommended measures to ‘safeguard progress made by parties in Wales to date’.
Plans for quotas at Senedd elections were withdrawn in 2024. The withdrawal followed concerns that enforcing gender balance was not within the Senedd’s competence. The Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill sought to introduce two types of quotas. One focused on the number and placement of women candidates on political party lists in a constituency, whilst the other would have required a woman be the first or only candidate on at least half of a party’s constituency lists across Wales. The aim of the bill was to improve the gender balance of the Senedd.
Other groups are also under-represented in the Senedd in comparison to their population share. Examples include:
These dimensions often rely on self-reported data. ‘There is limited information available about the diversity of Members of the Senedd’ so it is difficult to know the full extent to which these groups are under-represented, however there is some data available which shows representation for some groups is still behind.
Current barriers to becoming a Member of the Senedd
In its report in May 2025, the Future Senedd Committee highlighted several areas which pose ‘significant societal barriers to becoming a candidate for election to the Senedd’. Some of these include:
- Financial barriers: unpaid campaigning activity and personal costs,
- Structural barriers: a lack of networks or existing resources,
- Social and cultural barriers: discrimination or harassment, inaccessible meeting venues, a lack of knowledge about processes,
- Practical barriers: inaccessibility of campaigning for Disabled people or those with caring responsibilities.
These barriers were also highlighted by the Committee on Senedd Electoral Reform, and in a report commissioned by the Remuneration Board of the National Assembly for Wales ..
What changes have been made for 2026?
Guidance for political parties
In 2025, the Welsh Government published voluntary guidance to political parties on diversity and inclusion. It encourages parties to ‘rethink their processes for candidate selection and recruitment in order to improve diverse representation’. It offers a range of suggestions for political parties, including that they:
- should develop a diversity and inclusion strategy which creates long-term cultural change and addresses systemic issues;
- should consider ways to support candidates (practically and financially) to ensure that the party’s approach to selection of candidates is accessible and inclusive at all stages; and
Funding schemes
The Welsh Government published a review of socioeconomic barriers to democratic participation in 2025, which found that there were significant socioeconomic barriers to participation and offered recommendations around investing in candidates financially and offering resources.
Access to Elected Office Fund
The Access to Elected Office Fund Wales became a statutory requirement in the Elections and Elected Bodies Act 2024 following a pilot. The fund offers financial support to Disabled people who want to stand for election to manage the additional costs which are a barrier to their participation in politics. The kind of support offered can include training, mentoring, equipment or assistance with tasks.
A review of the pilot reported that feedback was overwhelmingly positive but stressed that the fund was a ‘stepping stone’ and should be combined with a package of support. One of the biggest challenges for the scheme during the pilot was communicating the availability of the fund to applicants.
Electoral Candidate Diversity Funding
The Electoral Candidate Diversity Funding scheme, launched as a pilot in 2025, will allow not-for-profit groups and those registered with The Charity Commission to apply for funding to support candidates from under-represented groups. The fund aims to remove barriers which prevent candidates from standing for elected office. By offering funding to third sector organisations, it aims to ensure all groups can be reached across a geographic spread.
The pilot will run until at least 2027 to support both the Senedd election and local government elections.
Family-friendly and Inclusive Parliament Review
In July 2025, the Senedd Commission announced a Family-Friendly and Inclusive Parliament Review which will cover a wide range of issues including representation and participation to measure the Senedd’s progress as a gender-sensitive parliament against international standards.
The Review responds to a recommendation made by the Reform Bill Committee in its report on the Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidates List) Bill to look at the Senedd’s culture, ways of working and facilities.
Similar reviews have been conducted in the UK Parliament and the Scottish Parliament.
The Review is being conducted by an independent academic and is being overseen by a cross-party board of Senedd Members. The Board aims to publish the report and its recommendations by the end of 2025.
More work to be done?
While these changes begin to address barriers to standing for election for under-represented groups, there are other recommendations which have not been adopted. An on-site creche and expanded options for remote participation were two recommendations of the Future Senedd Committee which have yet to be implemented.
Job-sharing was recommended by the report of the Expert Panel on Electoral Reform and by the Committee on Senedd Electoral Reform as a way to improve diversity. The Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Act 2024 requires a motion be proposed to establish a committee to explore job-sharing for those holding any relevant office within six months of the start of the Seventh Senedd.
Stay up to date
This article provides an overview of current measures to improve the diversity of the Senedd. For more information on the upcoming election, see our Etholiad resources page.
Article by Emma Brewis, Senedd Research, Welsh Parliament
Senedd Research acknowledges the parliamentary fellowship provided to Emma Brewis by the ESRC which enabled this guide to be completed.
