Government of Wales

• Capital city: Cardiff
• Population: 2.9 millions
• Official languages: English and Welsh
• Political system: administrative region of the United-Kingdom of Great-Britain and Nothern Ireland (with England, Scotland and Nothern Ireland)
• Head of State: reigning sovereign
• Head of Government: First Minister 

Exposé by Moya Jones, on March 27^th, 2010, in Saint-Sébastien-sur-Loire, during the Wales 44 network's 10^th meeting.

The nations

British Isles	United-Kingdom of Great-Britain and Nothern Ireland
Great-Britain	Nothern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, England

Government

Until 1999, Wales was governed as an undistinct part of th UK. The Secretary of State for Wales was dealing with appropriate matters for that region.

This political regime has been profoundly modified by the 18 September 1997 Referendum when 50,3 % of the Welsh voted for the creation of a Welsh Assembly.

The government of the UK officially devoted power to the regional authority of Wales on 1 July 1999. However the national Assembly is very different from the Scottish one: it has a limited legislative power. A referendum, held on March 3^rd 2011, gave the power to the National Assembly for Wales to pass laws, instead of measures, in the twenty devolved areas:

1. Agriculture, fisheries, forestry and rural development
2. Ancient monuments and historic buildings
3. Culture
4. Economic development
5. Education and training
6. Environment
7. Fire and rescue services and promotion of fire safety
8. Food
9. Health and health services
10. Highways and transport
11. Housing
12. Local government
13. National Assembly for Wales
14. Public administration
15. Social welfare
16. Sport and recreation
17. Tourism
18. Town and country planning
19. Water and flood defence
20. Welsh language

The National Assembly for Wales is made up of sixty members elected every four years by people residing in Wales. Forty of them are constituency Assembly Members,  representing the same local constituencies as Westminster MPs; the other twenty are regional Assembly Members, who represent one of the five regions of  Wales: North Wales
Mid and West Wales, South Wales West, South Wales Central, South Wales East.

Welsh interests are safeguarded by the Welsh Assembly Government chaired by the First Minister.

Unitary Authorities since 1996

1. Anglesey
2. Denbighshire
3. Flintshire
4. Wrexham
5. Swansea
6. Neath - Port Talbot
7. Bridgend
8. Rhonda - CynonTaff
9. Mertyl - Tydfil
10. Caerphilly
11. Blaenau - Gwent
12. Vale of Glamorgan
13. Cardiff
14. Torfaen
15. Newport
16. Monmouthshire

Wales and Europe

The Welsh Assembly Government is henceforth directly committed with the European Union in a great number of matters affecting Wales. As soon as 2000, The Welsh Assembly Government has openned its own agency in Brussels. This agency works closely with the UK Representation to the E.U. in order to favour Welsh interests.

Wales is represented by:

• 5 members at the European Parliament;
• 2 permanent members and 2 substitute members at the Committee of the Regions;
• 2 members at the European Economic and Social Committee.

Wales is an active member of the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions of the E.U.

The Prince of Wales

The title of the Prince of Wales has been is borne for 700 years by the eldest heir of the British Crown. This honorary appointment is not given automaticaly and do not empower its holder in terms of politics.