“A historic moment”
Wales has its first black head of government
March 16, 2024, 3:02 p.m
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Wales has a new head of government. And at least as far as party affiliation is concerned, a tradition that now goes back more than 100 years continues: Labor provides the First Minister. But the election of Vaughan Gething is for the history books.
Wales, Britain, has a black head of government for the first time. After his election victory, Vaughan Gething said he had “the honor of becoming the first black leader of a European country.” The 50-year-old is expected to be sworn in as Welsh Prime Minister on Wednesday. The previous incumbent, Mark Drakeford, announced his resignation in December.
“Today we open a new chapter in our nation’s history. A history that we write together,” Gething told members of his Labor party in the Welsh capital Cardiff after his election victory. The Labor leader in the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer, also attached great historical significance to Gething’s upcoming inauguration. “His appointment as First Minister of Wales, the first black leader in the United Kingdom, will be a historic moment that testifies to the progress and values of modern Wales,” Starmer said.
Gething was born in Zambia, South Africa, to a white father from Wales and a Zambian mother. After his swearing in, three of the four heads of government of the British parts of the country will be non-white politicians: the Scottish head of government Humza Yousaf is the son of Pakistani immigrants, the head of government of England and Great Britain, Rishi Sunak, is of Indian origin. In Northern Ireland, Prime Minister Michelle O’Neill, who has been in office since the beginning of February, has made history by becoming the first Irish nationalist to hold the office.
Labor has been the head of government in Wales, which has a population of over 3.1 million, for more than 100 years. With its liberal policies, the party often stands in contrast to the conservative central government in London. The regional government has extensive powers, for example in environmental and educational policy and partly in taxes.