Galler Konsey Ara Seçimleri: Reform UK'nin Çekiciliği Azalıyor

The council by-elections held on 9 Temmuz in the Birleşik Krallık revealed remarkable results in Galler politics. Contrary to expectations, the Reform UK party, which has been on the rise recently, failed to create a major breakthrough, and its voting potential was observed to have stagnated. In contrast, the Galler-based nationalist party Plaid Cymru successfully defended two of the three seats it held. The İşçi Partisi (Labour) revitalized its confidence by retaining a seat in Cardiff. The election results confirm the power of regional parties and independent candidates in local politics. In a general assessment, it appears that Reform UK's influence in Galler remains limited and the party has not yet achieved the major political earthquake it promised.

Plaid Cymru achieved a significant victory by nominating Shirley Hodges in the Baruc ward of the Barry area, and Hodges was elected as the Glamorgan Vadisi councillor. The candidate received 47.7 percent of the vote, creating a substantial gap against her rivals. While Sarah Roderick from Reform UK came in a distant second with 429 votes (%23.9), the Muhafazakâr Parti's vote remained at %12.2, an 8.2-point drop. The 'separatist' criticisms directed at Plaid Cymru and the region-specific efforts of former Muhafazakâr leader Andrew RT Davies could not change this result. On the contrary, Plaid Cymru's vote increased by 11.2 points, proving that the local populace does not embrace these narratives and stands by the party. This situation clearly demonstrates how much the electorate in Galler values its national identity and local representation.

In Llanrug, affiliated with the Gwynedd council in northern Galler and known as the region where Welsh is spoken the most, Plaid Cymru suffered an unexpected defeat. Rhys Parry, a center-right Galler nationalist running as an independent candidate, won the election by a landslide with 57.4 percent of the vote. Plaid Cymru candidate Dewi Rhys Evans came in second with 38.2 percent, losing a seat in this area known as the party's stronghold. Despite this, Reform UK's candidate Terry Temple received only 2.5 percent of the vote, showing that the party is struggling to build a base in the region. The results revealed that the electorate can prefer strong independent candidates who are sensitive to local issues over party identity.

The İşçi Partisi boosted its morale by successfully defending its seat in the by-election held in the Splott district of Cardiff. James Caruana, the İşçi Partisi's new councillor, came in first with 40 percent of the vote, while Yeşiller Partisi candidate Simran Patel followed strikingly close with 36 percent. The expected right-wing populist wave did not materialize in Splott, an area seen as predominantly working-class and favorable for Reform UK. Reform UK's candidate remained at only 15 percent, confirming that the party was not convincing enough on rural and local issues. Plaid Cymru's decision not to field a candidate in this election likely influenced progressive alliance dynamics, paving the way for the Yeşiller Partisi to receive a high vote.

In the Flintshire county, voter behavior presented a varied picture, and the competition was high. Reform UK achieved a partial success by winning the seat in the Connah's Quay Merkez ward left vacant by an independent candidate, but the voting percentages were not immediately announced. In contrast, the Liberal Demokratlar managed to hold onto the other seat in the same county, which became vacant due to the passing of long-serving former councillor Hilary McGuill. While Liberal Demokrat candidate Faron Hadfield-Jones won with 39.8 percent, Reform UK candidate Angela Hughes fell seriously behind again with 31.7 percent. When all these local election data are examined, it can be concluded that even though Reform UK's general populist appeal in the Birleşik Krallık political scene continues, it has not yet reached a sufficient base to create a structural transformation in regions like Galler where local dynamics are decisive.