Green Party announces 2026 Senedd candidates

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The Green Party has announced its lead candidates for the seats covering Caerphilly County Borough at next year’s Senedd election.

Rachel Roberts is the party’s lead candidate in the Casnewydd Islwyn seat, while Anne Baker is standing for the party in the Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni constituency.

Ms Roberts is a former supply teacher in Newport, and currently works in with children with additional learning needs (ALN) in a primary school.

According to the Gwent Green Party branch, Ms Roberts “brings firsthand experience of the challenges facing the education system and a passionate belief in inclusive education, raising environmental awareness and supporting young people”.

Meanwhile, Ms Baker is a lifelong campaigner and former trade unionist who is currently studying for a Masters degree in Environmental Management at the Open University.

The party said Ms Baker’s “commitment to workers’ rights and environmental justice makes her a compelling advocate for communities too often left behind”.

A new-look Senedd

The election will be the first since plans to expand the Senedd from 60 members to 96 members were approved.

As part of the changes to the number of Senedd Members (MSs), constituency boundaries are also changing.

The constituencies will align with the newly-redrawn UK Parliament constituencies, which came into force at last year’s general election.

Each constituency will then be paired with a neighbouring seat to create 16 ‘super constituencies’ across Wales, each represented by six MSs.

Caerphilly County Borough will be covered by two of these constituencies: Casnewydd Islwyn, and Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni.

Wales will adopt a “closed-list” electoral system from 2026, with the electorate voting for political parties rather than specific candidates on the ballot paper.