The D'Hondt Dividend: How Wales's New Electoral System Rewards Large Parties
On 7 May 2026, Wales will elect its Senedd using an entirely new electoral system. The Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Act 2024 replaces the previous mixed-member system with closed-list proportional representation, allocating 96 members across 16 constituencies of six seats each, using the D’Hondt divisor method. The shift to a proportional system has been widely welcomed, and for good reason. Removing the first-past-the-post element of the previous arrangement better suits the fragmented, multi-party reality of contemporary Welsh politics....
