Wales Green Party Leadership Vote: Ian Chandler Seeks Top Role 2026

Key Points

• The party members in Wales are to vote later in this month and early December on their next party leader after Anthony Slaughter.
• Slaughter has been at the party’s helm since December 2018, but according to the party’s guidelines, he is supposed to give way to a new person after serving three terms.
• Slaughter and Paul Rock are the first Green Party Members of the Senedd from the May 2026 elections.
• Monmouthshire councillor Ian Chandler has come out to declare his candidacy for the party’s leadership, with Paul Rock saying he doesn’t intend to seek the position.
• Chandler says he wants to turn the Wales Green Party into an electoral force that can have more influence in the Welsh politics.
• The party conference scheduled to take place in Bangor between November 21 and 22 will include talks on leadership and a resolution on the Green Party of England and Wales supporting the idea of Wales’ independence before 2034.
• In September, Slaughter had told people that he is suffering from cancer and is to go through a major surgery; the party at the time stated that he was recovering very well.
• Zack Polanski, the Green Party of England and Wales leader, hailed Slaughter as “significant voice for Wales” and “wonderful friend.”

Wales (Wales Times) November 09, 2026 — The Wales Green Party is preparing to choose a new leader to replace Anthony Slaughter, who must step down after three terms in the role. The vote is expected to take place later this month and continue into early December, according to reporting by BBC News.

Mr Slaughter has led the Wales Green Party since December 2018, having earlier served as deputy leader in 2014 and 2015. Under the party’s rules, he cannot stand for another term as leader.

His successor will take charge at a significant moment for the party. In May, Mr Slaughter and Paul Rock became the first Green Party members ever elected to the Senedd, winning seats in Caerdydd Penarth and Caerdydd Ffynnon Taf respectively.

Who is standing to replace Anthony Slaughter?

Monmouthshire councillor Ian Chandler has declared his candidacy for the leadership. As reported by BBC News, Mr Chandler said he wanted to transform the Wales Green Party into a “genuine electoral force”.

Mr Chandler represents the Llantilio Crossenny ward on Monmouthshire County Council and has been a Green councillor since 2022. He was also the lead Green candidate for Sir Fynwy Torfaen at this year’s Senedd election.

He lives in Monmouth and serves in a coalition administration in Monmouthshire, where he holds responsibility for social care and safeguarding.

“I aim to help significantly strengthen the Wales Green Party into a formidable electoral presence,” Mr Chandler told BBC Wales. “I want to elevate us to the next level because I believe we should be a much more influential and prominent force in Welsh politics, shaping the agenda.”

Mr Chandler said there was considerable demand for the party’s green vision, which he linked to the climate and nature emergencies, inequality and the cost-of-living pressures facing Wales.

Paul Rock, the party’s other Senedd member, has opted out of the leadership contest. That means the next leader will come from outside the Welsh Parliament.

Why must Anthony Slaughter stand down?

Mr Slaughter is required to step aside because the Wales Green Party limits leaders to three terms. He was first elected to the role in December 2018 and was re-elected in 2024.

As reported by Nation.Cymru, Mr Slaughter had previously said that nominations for the leadership and other roles had not yet formally opened, adding that he would release a statement on his position once they did.

In September, Mr Slaughter disclosed that he had been diagnosed with cancer. During a Senedd debate, he said he was scheduled for a “serious operation”. At that time, the Wales Green Party said he was recovering well.

Green Party of England and Wales leader Zack Polanski praised Mr Slaughter on X, describing the Caerdydd Penarth MS as a “significant voice for Wales, deeply dedicated to environmental and social justice, and a wonderful friend”.

When will the Wales Green Party vote?

The leadership vote is expected to begin later this month and run into early December. WalesOnline reported that a decision is expected in early December.

Before the vote, the party will hold its conference in uk/local/bangor/">Bangor. The conference is scheduled for November 21–22 at Bangor University, according to the New Statesman.

At the conference, candidates are expected to face questions from members. WalesOnline reported that the new leader will be named after the conference.

What else will members decide?

The conference will also consider a motion on whether the Welsh branch of the Green Party should become independent from its English counterpart by 2034.

Mr Chandler said it was “inevitable” that the Welsh Greens would establish their own entity.

“The only question is when and how it will take place. It won’t be an abrupt transition,”

he told BBC News.

He described the proposed 2034 timetable as “very cautious”. “I would be pleased if we could expedite the process, but I also prefer not to rush it,” he said, suggesting that the change could possibly be achieved before the next Senedd election in 2030.

What does the leadership change mean for the Senedd?

The incoming leader will inherit a party that has, for the first time, representation in the Senedd. Mr Slaughter and Mr Rock were elected in May, marking a historic breakthrough for the Greens in Welsh politics.

Mr Slaughter was elected in Caerdydd Penarth, while Mr Rock won in Caerdydd Ffynnon Taf. Their election gave the Wales Green Party its first two seats in the Welsh Parliament.

The leadership contest will therefore determine who leads the party as it seeks to consolidate its new parliamentary presence. Mr Chandler has positioned his candidacy around strengthening the party’s electoral reach and influence in Welsh politics.

Background of the development

Anthony Slaughter became leader of the Wales Green Party in December 2018, after previously serving as deputy leader in 2014 and 2015.

Under his leadership, the party secured its first Senedd representation in May 2026, when Mr Slaughter and Paul Rock won seats in Caerdydd Penarth and Caerdydd Ffynnon Taf.

Mr Slaughter’s cancer diagnosis was publicly disclosed in September 2026. He told a Senedd debate that he was due to undergo a serious operation, while the party said he was recovering well.

Ian Chandler announced his intention to stand for the leadership in an opinion column on devolution published in the Monmouthshire Beacon on October 24.

The Wales Green Party’s conference in Bangor is scheduled for November 21–22. Alongside the leadership contest, members will consider a proposal for the Welsh branch to separate from the Green Party of England and Wales by 2034.

Prediction: How could the leadership vote affect Welsh Green voters?

For Green Party supporters in Wales, the result could shape how the party builds on its first Senedd breakthrough. A new leader will need to maintain the party’s parliamentary presence while setting its direction on climate policy, nature, inequality and the cost of living.

Mr Chandler’s stated priority is to make the party a stronger electoral force and a more prominent voice in Welsh politics. If elected, his approach could focus on expanding the party’s support beyond its current Senedd seats and increasing its influence in future elections.

The possible separation of the Welsh Greens from the Green Party of England and Wales could also affect members and voters. A move towards an independent Welsh party would give the Welsh branch greater institutional autonomy, although Mr Chandler has said any transition would not be abrupt.

For voters in Caerdydd Penarth and Caerdydd Ffynnon Taf, the leadership change may influence how the party presents itself in the Senedd and how it approaches future campaigns. The outcome will be closely watched as the Wales Green Party seeks to turn its historic 2026 election result into a durable political platform.