Jane Dodds has announced she will stand down as leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats.
Dodds said she would remain the party’s only Member of the Senedd (MS), but that work to increase its presence in Wales’ parliament “should be led by a new generation”.
“Leading the Welsh Liberal Democrats has been the honour of my life,” she said in a statement on Tuesday, adding “now is the right time” to hand over the role.
Only Welsh Lib Dem MP David Chadwick is eligible to seek nomination to replace Dodds at this stage, the party said.
Relations between Dodds and the UK Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey were strained after he previously called her leadership into question.
The Liberal Democrats have been represented by just one member in Cardiff Bay since 2016, initially by former Welsh Lib Dem leader Kirsty Williams and later by Dodds since 2021.
Dodds, who represents Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd in the Senedd, is a former social worker who was made her party’s Welsh leader in November 2017.
She made headlines last year by getting the previous Welsh Labour government to agree to a greyhound racing ban and £1 bus fares for under-21s in return for helping it pass its budget.
In 2024 Lib Dem leader Sir Ed asked Dodds to reflect on her position over her handling of a sexual abuse case when she worked for the Church in England.
A 2021 report found Dodds made a “grave error of judgement” by not organising a meeting to discuss a particular case of abuse by a late former bishop who sexually abused at least 18 victims over a 15-year period.
Dodds accepted there were “shortcomings”, but said she would continue as leader.
After nearly two years of cool relations over the matter, Davey backed Dodds before May’s Welsh Parliament election, describing her as an “excellent member of the Senedd” who deserved to be re-elected.
Nominations to replace Dodds will open on 23 October and close on 16 November.
“After May’s election, I’ve thought hard about what our party needs,” she said.
“Wales needs more than one liberal voice in the Senedd.
“Building that team will take years of hard work in communities across the country, and I believe that work should be led by a new generation.
“Now is the right time to hand it over.”
Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe MP Chadwick said Dodds had “given an enormous amount to the Welsh Liberal Democrats and to public life in Wales, and she deserves our sincere thanks for her service as leader”.
“There will understandably be questions about what comes next.
“Today should be about Jane and her contribution to our party.
“I will make a statement about my own political future in the coming days.”
Welsh Liberal Democrat president Tim Sly said Dodds had “led our party with warmth, determination and integrity through some of the most turbulent years in Welsh and UK politics”.
“She leaves the Welsh Liberal Democrats stronger in our communities and ready to build,” he said.
Chadwick requires the support of 50 party members to be the only candidate to replace Dodds and take over as leader.
Should that not happen, or he were to decide not to run, all members on the party’s approved parliamentary candidates list could then throw their hats into the ring.
