Vaughan Gething is set to become the first black person to lead a European country after winning the Welsh Labour leadership election.
While making political history in beating rival Jeremy Miles, what difference can this make to young people from different ethnic backgrounds in Wales?
For some students in Cardiff, the expectations are clearly high. Speaking from Grangetown Hanna Mahamed called Mr Gething’s appointment a “cause for celebration”. “Wales as a country is full of diversity, but to see its leader represent who we are and how we look, it’s just smiles all around,” said the 19-year-old Race Council Cymru Youth Parliament member.”It makes me really proud to see someone in the Senedd who is close to our community and who knows how we feel.” She added that she wanted Mr Gething, who is set to succeed Mark Drakeford as first minister this week, to concentrate first and foremost on tackling racism. “As a black, Muslim woman and a hijab wearer I’ve suffered abuse,” she said. “I’ve lived in Grangetown my whole life and thought all of Cardiff was that multicultural, but when I went to other parts I found out it wasn’t and had some bad experiences.”I wouldn’t wish that on anyone else and if I were Mr Gething I would do my all to make sure kids younger than me won’t have to face what I did.” She described the 50-year-old, who has a Welsh father and Zambian mother, as having “shattered the glass ceiling”, but added “there’s still further to go”. Second year mechanical engineering student Ali Arshad called Mr Gething’s accomplishment “monumental”. “Kids who are black and ethnic minority will now want to get into politics, whereas maybe the previous lack of diversity put them off,” said the 19-year-old. “This is a big step and very inspiring – it’ll change a lot for lots of people. Many will now be thinking ‘maybe that could be me some day’.”
An avid volunteer in his community of Grangetown, Mr Arshad suggested Mr Gething focused on youth engagement and dealing with anti-social behaviour. “What he does now he’s in charge will give people the best idea of what he’s about, but he can already be immensely proud of what he’s achieved.” Zahra, 17, a pupil at St David’s Catholic Sixth From College in Penylan, said Mr Gething had motivated her to do more, adding: “If he can do it then surely I should be able to as well.” Fellow students Ameera and Elisha, both also 17, called him a “trailblazer” thanks to whom the world of politics “has evolved into something more inclusive”. Currently economy minister in Mr Drakeford’s cabinet, Mr Gething is the Cardiff South and Penarth Member of the Senedd. His victory in Welsh Labour leadership election on Saturday with 51.7% of the vote saw him congratulated by UK Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. In his acceptance speech, Mr Gething praised his predecessor Mr Drakeford and his rival Mr Miles, who would have been Wales’ first gay leader if he had been the victor.
