Llywydd of the Senedd facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Llywydd of the Senedd
Incumbent Elin Jones since 11 May 2016
Senedd
Style	Llywydd (within Parliament) The Right Honourable (formal)
Appointer	Senedd (elected by)
Term length	No limits imposed
Inaugural holder	Dafydd Elis-Thomas 12 May 1999
Formation	1999
Website	https://senedd.wales/senedd-business/llywydd/

The Llywydd (Welsh: [ˈɬəu̯.ɪð]), or Presiding Officer in English, is the speaker of the Senedd in Wales, elected by members of the Senedd to chair their meetings (plenary sessions); to maintain order; and to protect the rights of Members.

The Llywydd also heads the Corporate Body (known as the Senedd Commission) and as such is viewed as a figurehead for the entire organisation. One Deputy Presiding Officer (Welsh: Dirprwy Lywydd) is also elected to help fulfil the role. The office of the Llywydd is based in Tŷ Hywel and is also responsible for the Pierhead Building in Cardiff Bay. In their roles, neither the Llywydd nor the Deputy Presiding Officer (Dirprwy Lywydd) are allowed to participate in Senedd votes, except where legislation requires those votes to be passed by two-thirds of Members.

Role of the Llywydd

The main function is to chair plenary sessions of the Senedd, to maintain order and to protect the rights of Members. They are responsible for ensuring that business is handled on the basis of equality and impartiality.

The Llywydd is also responsible for Standing Orders and is the final authority on their interpretation. The Llywydd also acts as Chair of the Senedd Commission, and has special responsibility for promoting democratic engagement, leadership, developing the Senedd's future legislative powers and external relations

Along with the Deputy Presiding Officer (Dirprwy Lywydd), they are politically responsible for all aspects of the Presiding Office to which the Standing Orders relate.

The Llywydd chairs meetings of the Panel of Subject Committee Chairs, where committee procedures and matters affecting Committee business are discussed. In addition to this, the Llywydd acts as the ambassador for the Senedd, attending speakers' conferences and other events in order to publicise and raise the profile of the Senedd.

Llywydd's Committee

The role of the Llywydd's committee is to scrutinise the financial estimates of the Electoral Commission, as relates to devolved elections and referendums. It is typically chaired by the Dirprwy Lywydd, currently David Rees.

List of Llywyddion and Deputy Presiding Officers

Current Llywydd and Deputy Presiding Officer

Position	Current holder			Term started	Political party	Constituency
Llywydd (Presiding Officer)		Elin Jones MS		11 May 2016	Plaid Cymru	Ceredigion
Deputy Presiding Officer (Dirprwy Lywydd)		David Rees MS		12 May 2021	Labour	Aberavon

List of Llywyddion (Presiding Officers)

Name		Picture	Entered office	Left office	Political party	Notes
	The Rt Hon The Lord Elis-Thomas PC AM		12 May 1999	11 May 2011	Plaid Cymru	Elected unopposed 1999, re-elected unopposed 2003 and 2007
	Dame Rosemary Butler DBE AM		11 May 2011	11 May 2016	Labour	Elected unopposed 2011.
	Elin Jones MS		11 May 2016	Incumbent	Plaid Cymru	Elected 2016, re-elected 2021. Beat Dafydd Elis-Thomas 34 votes to 25 with 1 abstention on 11 May 2016 Beat Russell George 35 votes to 25 for re-election on 12 May 2021.

List of Deputy Presiding Officers (Dirprwy Lywyddion)

Name		Picture	Entered office	Left office	Political party	Notes
	Jane Davidson AM		12 May 1999	17 October 2000	Labour	First Assembly. Elected unopposed. Resigned from post when she became a Government Minister.
	John Marek AM		19 October 2000	7 May 2003	Labour	Remainder of the first Assembly Beat Rosemary Butler 28 votes to 27
			7 May 2003	9 May 2007	Forward Wales	Second Assembly. Beat Peter Law 30 votes to 29
	Rosemary Butler AM		9 May 2007	11 May 2011	Labour	Third Assembly Elected unopposed
	David Melding AM		11 May 2011	11 May 2016	Conservative	Fourth Assembly Beat William Graham 46 votes to 12
	Ann Jones MS		11 May 2016	12 May 2021	Labour	Fifth Assembly Beat John Griffiths 30 votes to 29
	David Rees MS		12 May 2021	Incumbent	Labour	Sixth Senedd Beat Hefin David 35 votes to 24.