The New Centres of Influence in Wales: Why stakeholder mapping matters more than ever

The 2026 Senedd election has done more than change the political make up of Wales. It has changed where influence sits.

For organisations that engage with government, whether you’re a business, charity, membership organisation or public sector body, this means one thing.

It is time to revisit your stakeholder map.

Politics has entered a new era

For many years, organisations became familiar with how Welsh politics worked. Relationships were built, ministers became recognisable faces and engagement strategies often evolved gradually rather than dramatically.

That landscape has now shifted.

A larger Senedd, a new Government, new ministerial responsibilities and changing political dynamics mean organisations can no longer assume the people they spoke to last year will be the people shaping decisions tomorrow.

Influence isn’t just about ministers

One of the biggest mistakes organisations make is assuming political engagement begins and ends with ministers.

While ministers remain key decision makers, they are only one part of a much wider network.

Committee chairs, backbench Members of the Senedd, advisers, special advisers, civil servants, regional representatives and influential voices within political parties all play an important role in shaping policy and public debate.

Understanding who these people are, and when to engage with them, can often make the difference between simply responding to policy and helping shape it.

Relationships still matter. But they need to evolve.

Many organisations have invested years in building productive relationships across Welsh politics.

Those relationships remain valuable.

However, political influence is constantly evolving, particularly following a significant election.

• New ministers are establishing priorities.
• New Members are building their own areas of expertise.
• Committees will begin scrutinising legislation in different ways.
• Government departments may also change how they approach policy development and engagement.

Successful organisations recognise these changes early and adapt accordingly rather than relying solely on historic relationships.

Timing is everything

One of the key themes from our recent event was that organisations often wait too long before engaging.

Many assume the right time to contribute is during a public consultation.

In reality, much of the thinking has already taken place by then.

The organisations that have the greatest influence are often those that are engaging before formal proposals are published, sharing evidence, highlighting challenges and helping policymakers understand the practical impact of future decisions.

Ask yourself these questions

As the political landscape continues to evolve, every organisation should take a step back and ask:

• Do we know who our key political stakeholders are today?
• Have ministerial responsibilities changed in areas that affect us?
• Are there new Members of the Senedd we should be building relationships with?
• Are we engaging early enough to influence discussion?
• Does our stakeholder engagement reflect today’s political landscape rather than yesterday’s?

If the answer to any of these questions is “I’m not sure”, now is the time to review your approach.

A fresh approach to engagement

Political engagement isn’t about having the biggest contact list.

It’s about understanding where decisions are made, who influences them and when your organisation should contribute.

The organisations that succeed over the next five years are unlikely to be those with the longest established relationships. They will be those that understand where influence now sits, adapt quickly and engage with confidence in a changing political environment.

 

How Effective can help

Understanding Wales’ changing political landscape takes time, insight and an appreciation of how policy develops behind the scenes.

At Effective, we help organisations identify the stakeholders that matter, develop meaningful engagement strategies and position themselves to influence policy at the right time.

If you’d like to review your stakeholder map or discuss how the changing political landscape could affect your organisation, we’d be delighted to have a conversation.