The 2012 Plaid Cymru leadership election was held following the resignation of

Ieuan Wyn Jones Ieuan Wyn Jones (born 22 May 1949) is a Welsh politician who was the Deputy First Minister in the Welsh Government from 2007 to 2011. He was the Member of the National Assembly for Wales for the Ynys Môn constituency from 1999 to 2013, and ...

following the 2011 Assembly Elections. Following the election Jones originally stated that he would resign in the first half of the Assembly term. Nominations officially opened on 3 January 2012. The leadership was fought by former Agriculture Minister

Elin Jones Elin Jones (born 1 September 1966), is a Welsh politician who has served as the Llywydd of the Senedd since 2016. A member of Plaid Cymru, Jones has been the Member of the Senedd (MS) for Ceredigion since 1999. Background Jones atten ...

, former party leader

Dafydd Elis-Thomas Dafydd Elis Elis-Thomas, Baron Elis-Thomas, (; 18 October 1946 – 7 February 2025) was a Welsh politician who served as the leader of Plaid Cymru from 1984 to 1991 and represented the Dwyfor Meirionnydd constituency in the Senedd from 199 ...

and backbencher

Leanne Wood Leanne Wood (born 13 December 1971) is a Welsh politician who served as the leader of Plaid Cymru from March 2012 to September 2018, and served as a Member of the Senedd (MS) from 2003 to 2021. Born in the Rhondda, she was elected to the th ...

. Simon Thomas declared his intention to run, but later withdrew in favour of Elin Jones. The Guardian reported that 7,863 members were entitled to vote, which was an increase in membership of 23% over the preceding four-month period.

was declared leader on 15 March 2012,Plaid Cymru elect Leanne Wood as new leader
BBC News, 15 March 2012 taking over as leader the day after.

Results

Endorsements

Of the 11 Plaid Assembly Members, Elin Jones received the support of 6 (including herself), Leanne Wood won the backing of 3 (including herself) and Dafydd Elis-Thomas 1 (himself). Out going leader

did not publicly back any candidate.

Elin Jones

AMs: * Jocelyn Davies *

Rhodri Glyn Thomas Rhodri Glyn Thomas (born 11 April 1953) is a Welsh politician. He was the Plaid Cymru National Assembly for Wales Member for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr from 1999 to 2016, when he did not re-stand for election. Following his retirement from th ...

Alun Ffred Jones Alun Ffred Jones (born 29 October 1949) is a Welsh politician and member of Plaid Cymru and former television producer, writer and director. Jones was the National Assembly for Wales Member for Caernarfon 2003–07 and for the newly created ...

Simon Thomas Simon Thomas may refer to: * Simon Thomas (politician) (born 1963), Welsh politician, Plaid Cymru MP for Ceredigion 2000–05 *Simon Thomas (presenter) Simon Thomas (born on 26th January 1973) is an English television presenter who hosts ''So ...

Simon Thomas withdraws from Plaid Cymru leadership race and backs Elin Jones
Wales Online, 6 February 2012 *

Llyr Huws Gruffydd Llŷr Huws Gruffydd, (born 25 September 1970) is a Welsh Plaid Cymru politician, serving as a Member of the Senedd (MS) for the North Wales region since 2011. He acted as interim leader of Plaid Cymru from 16 May to 16 June 2023. Education and ...

MPs *

Hywel Williams Hywel Williams (born 14 May 1953) is a Welsh Plaid Cymru politician who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Arfon, previously Caernarfon, from 2001 to 2024. Early life Hywel Williams was born in Pwllheli in 1953, and went to school at ...

Others * Dafydd TrystanPlaid Cymru leadership: Adam Price backs Leanne Wood
BBC News, 9 January 2012 *

Dai Lloyd David Rees "Dai" Lloyd (born 2 December 1956 in Tywyn, Gwynedd) is a retired Welsh politician and GP. He was the Plaid Cymru Member of the Senedd for South Wales West from 1999 to 2011 and again between 2016 and 2021. Lloyd was latterly Plaid ...

, former AM *

Nerys Evans Elizabeth Gwendoline Nerys Evans (born 1980) is a Welsh politician. She was a member of the National Assembly for Wales representing Plaid Cymru in the Mid and West Wales region. She contested the Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire seat ...

, former AM *

Cynog Dafis Cynog Glyndwr Dafis (born 1 April 1938) is a Welsh politician and member of Plaid Cymru who served as the Member of Parliament for Ceredigion from 1992 to 2000, originally as a joint Plaid Cymru– Green Party MP until 1997 and then only as a ...

, former AM and MP

Dafydd Elis-Thomas

*Councillor

Delme Bowen Delme Bowen is an emeritus professor of cell biology at Cardiff University. He was Lord Mayor of Cardiff, Wales for the year 2011 to 2012 and was an elected Cardiff councillor for 17 years. Political career Bowen began his political career in 197 ...

, *Dyfed Edwards, Leader of

Gwynedd County Council Gwynedd Council, which calls itself by its Welsh name , is the governing body for the county of Gwynedd, one of the principal areas of Wales. The council administrates internally using the Welsh language. History The county of Gwynedd was c ...

Plaid leadership 2: Democratic instinct is a resource for hope
IWA, 23 February 2012 *

Chris Franks Christopher Paul Franks (born 2 August 1951) is a Plaid Cymru Politician. He was a member of the National Assembly for Wales between 2007 and 2011 for the South Wales Central constituency, and Vale of Glamorgan councillor for Dinas Powys from 20 ...

, former AM

Leanne Wood

AMs: *

Bethan Jenkins Bethan Sayed (née Jenkins, born 9 December 1981) is a Welsh politician. She represented the South Wales West region for Plaid Cymru as a Member of the Senedd from 2007 to 2021. Early life and education Sayed was born in Aberdare, the daught ...

Lindsay Whittle Lindsay Geoffrey Whittle is a Welsh Plaid Cymru politician who was a Member of the Welsh Assembly (AM) for the South Wales East region from 2011 to 2016. Political career Whittle was born in Caerphilly in South Wales, and lives in Abertridwr, ...

MPs: *

Jonathan Edwards Jonathan Edwards may refer to: Musicians *Jonathan and Darlene Edwards, pseudonym of bandleader Paul Weston and his wife, singer Jo Stafford *Jonathan Edwards (musician) (born 1946), American musician **Jonathan Edwards (album), ''Jonathan Edward ...

(Campaign Manager) Others: *

Adam Price Adam Robert Price (born 23 September 1968) is a Welsh politician who served as Leader of Plaid Cymru from September 2018 to May 2023. He has been the Member of the Senedd (MS) for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr since 2016, having previously been ...

, former MP

References

{{Plaid Cymru

2012 2012 was designated as: *International Year of Cooperatives *International Year of Sustainable Energy for All Events January *January 4 – The Cicada 3301 internet hunt begins. * January 12 – Peaceful protests begin in the R ...

2012 elections in the United Kingdom 2012 in Wales 2010s elections in Wales Plaid Cymru leadership election