Vaughan Gething Of Wales Becomes First Black government Leader In Europe

Vaughan Gething

Vaughan Gething, a lawyer from Zambia, elected as the first Black minister of Wales.

On Thursday, Vaughan Gething, who was elected as the first minister of Wales, made history by being the first Black person to head a national government in Europe.

Speaking to the Welsh Senedd, Gething, a native of Zambia, recognised the gravity of his appointment in a nation where government figures indicate 94% of the population is white.

He declared, “I believe this is a source of pride for a modern Wales, but also a weighty responsibility for me, one that I take seriously. Mr. Gething also anticipated encountering familiar challenges, such as social media abuse, veiled racist comments, and doubts about his motives or nationality.”

He continued, addressing his detractors, saying, “It's easy not to care about identity when yours has never been questioned or hindered.”

The 59-year-old almost became the leader of the Labour Party in Wales before becoming the first minister appointed by the Senedd.

His appointment marks a momentous milestone, since none of four governments in the United Kingdom are currently led by white men.

Humza Yousaf, the first minister of Scotland, is Pakistani-born, while prime minister Rishi Sunak is of Indian descent.

Michelle O'Neill just became the first minister while in Northern Ireland, becoming the first Catholic to hold such a post.

Under Sunak's direction, the British government oversees civil service operations and policy for England; duties pertaining to Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland are left to their elected representatives.

Gething got involved in politics at a young age, joining the Welsh Labour Party at the age of seventeen and going on to become a trade union lawyer.

Representing many unions, he was elected as the youngest and first Black president of the Wales Trades Union Congress.

However since 2011, he has served in the Welsh Parliament in a number of capacities, including as the COVID-19 pandemic's health minister and minister of the economy.