Rhun ap Iorwerth Unveils Ministerial Team for Wales' First Plaid Cymru Government

First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth announced his ministerial team Tuesday for Wales' first Plaid Cymru government.

Sioned Williams takes the role of deputy first minister, while former presiding officer Elin Jones becomes finance cabinet minister.

Ap Iorwerth introduced the ministers on the steps of the government's headquarters in Cardiff. He called it not just a change to the administration but a wholesale change of approach, promising a government for all of the people of Wales.

Ap Iorwerth secured confirmation as first minister after Plaid became the largest party in the Senedd. The historic election ended Labour's 27-year rule in Wales.

He said: We will begin the government in earnest as a united team, of energy, talent and experience, ready to serve.

Mabon ap Gwynfor is the new health minister. Anna Brychan, a new MS, handles education and the Welsh language. Heledd Fychan becomes cabinet minister for culture and sport, as well as trefnydd, which involves organizing government business in the Senedd.

Former Plaid leader Adam Price takes enterprise, connectivity and energy.

Llŷr Gruffydd leads rural resilience, responsible for farming. Siân Gwenllian oversees local government.

Former Westminster MP for Plaid Elfyn Llwyd becomes counsel general, the government's chief legal adviser. The Senedd must sign off on the post.

The full list of ap Iorwerth's cabinet ministers includes:

Deputy first minister and minister for social justice and equality: Sioned Williams

Finance: Elin Jones

Trefnydd, chief whip and minister for culture and sport: Heledd Fychan

Government effectiveness and the constitution: Dafydd Trystan Davies

Health and care: Mabon ap Gwynfor

Enterprise, connectivity and energy: Adam Price

Education and the Welsh language: Anna Brychan

Rural resilience and sustainability: Llŷr Gruffydd

Local government, housing and planning: Siân Gwenllian

Public and preventative health: Nerys Evans

Social care, mental health and women's health: Delyth Jewell

Transport: Mark Hooper

Skills and tertiary education: Cefin Campbell

Counsel general designate: Elfyn Llwyd

In a statement after the announcement, ap Iorwerth said the cabinet would have a relentless focus on doing what's best for Wales. Our pledge is simple, to repay people's trust in us as quickly as we can, bringing the nation together. A new era of leadership starts today, he said.

Reform UK's Welsh leader Dan Thomas responded that the people of Wales need this cabinet to succeed. Our NHS, our schools and our economy need urgent change, and while I may disagree with Plaid, we all need them to succeed, he said. We will scrutinise their actions and work to ensure that their attention is on our public services and not Welsh independence.

Welsh Conservative Senedd leader Darren Millar said the new government faces a monumental task ahead of it. He wants to see it succeed where Labour fell short. We need new ideas and new governance, not the same old politics of the past 27 years, he said.