THE former leader of Plaid Cymru has confirmed his intention to stand at the next Senedd election.

Adam Price has written to Plaid Cymru’s chairs of the Caerfyrddin and Llanelli constituencies to confirm his intention to seek the nomination for the potential Sir Gâr seat in 2026.

Mr Price currently represents the Carmarthen East and Dinefwr constituency, having been elected in 2016.

He led the party in the Senedd between 2018 and 2023, and also represented Carmarthen East and Dinefwr in Westminster between 2001 and 2010.

“I am delighted to confirm my intention to seek the party’s nomination to stand as a candidate to represent Sir Gaerfyrddin in the seventh Senedd,” Mr Price said.

“I am deeply grateful for the trust that party members and the electors of Carmarthen East and Dinefwr have placed in me over four terms in both the House of Commons and the Senedd.

“Together, we’ve achieved meaningful milestones—from securing County Council leadership, first under Emlyn Dole and now with Darren Price, to Ann Davies’ recent landmark victory in the Caerfyrddin constituency.

“Though the boundaries of the new seat won’t be formally confirmed for some time, it’s widely expected that Sir Gaerfyrddin will form a single Senedd constituency.

“Born in Carmarthen, raised in Tumble and Tycroes, educated in Dyffryn Aman and now living in Dyffryn Tywi, I look forward to the opportunity to represent the whole of the county. Its unity-in-diversity - rural and industrial - is a true mirror of our nation in microcosm.

Adam Price has represented Carmarthen East and Dinefwr in both the Senedd and Westminster.Adam Price has represented Carmarthen East and Dinefwr in both the Senedd and Westminster. (Image: freelance)

“The seventh Senedd represents a historic opportunity for our party and the national movement.

“Soon, we will have a true national legislature, with the dynamism and decision-making power of an independent nation in the making.

“In this next chapter, it is an honour to offer my experience as a local member and my political creativity to serve the people of Sir Gaerfyrddin once more, and to work tirelessly for Cymru and our party.

“These are exciting times. My commitment to Sir Gaerfyrddin, to Cymru, and to its future is as strong now as it was when I joined the party during the Miners’ Strike forty years ago.

“As a party, we have had to master the art of delivering results from opposition and I have been proud to play my own part in crafting some of those victories - whether securing the Llandeilo bypass locally, or - as a child on free school meals during the strike - ensuring the rollout of universal free school meals nationally.

“If this is what we can accomplish from the opposition benches, imagine what we could achieve in government.”

2026 will be the first election held for the expanded 96-seat Senedd, with each of the 32 seats used in the recent general election being paired to form 16 new constituencies.

These will each return six Senedd members, with parties putting forward up to eight candidates per seat on a closed list system.

So far, three MSs have confirmed they will not be seeking re-election: ex-first ministers Mark Drakeford and Vaughan Gething, and Labour's Llanelli MS Lee Waters.