LONDON, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- Eluned Morgan was confirmed as the first minister of Wales after a vote on Tuesday in the Senedd, the Welsh parliament.
"It is the greatest pleasure and privilege of my life to stand before you as the first woman to become first minister of Wales," Morgan told her fellow Senedd members.
"As I take up the mantle of leadership, I promise to honor [my predecessor's] achievements and add my own contributions to this legacy," she said.
Morgan, 57, has held the position of health secretary in the Welsh government since 2021.
She succeeded Vaughan Gething as the first minister of Wales after Gething announced his resignation in July following his loss in a vote of no confidence in his leadership. Since assuming office in late March, Gething had been under pressure over a controversial 200,000-pound (254,000-U.S. dollar) donation to his leadership campaign.
The United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer offered Morgan his "heartfelt congratulations and support."
"Eluned has today made history as the first ever woman to become first minister of Wales," Starmer said.
The prime minister said his government will work "side by side" with the Labour government in Cardiff to deliver growth and "high-quality public services." ■