A New President for Plaid Cymru

MEP becomes Plaid's First Woman President

Plaid Cymru MEP Jill Evans has been elected unopposed as President of the party. Wales’ longest serving member of the European Parliament will take over from Dafydd Iwan, who is stepping down in September. In recent years the role of party president has provided the party with an important link with grassroots members. Jill Evans will become the party’s first ever woman president, having served as Plaid's vice president since 2004. She will take over in her new role at Plaid's annual conference at Aberystwyth in September. Jill Evans said, “I would like to thank the members of Plaid Cymru for placing their trust in me. The party has made massive strides over the last few years . "We are entering a very exciting time for Plaid and for Wales. The party is reaching ever higher standards of professionalism and it is important that the new President strengthens the link between our grassroot members, the leadership and the staff. "As Plaid evolves into a radical party of Government, this link is vital for us to grow and achieve our ultimate goals. "The President is an important member of the Plaid Cymru team. My aim is to build on the excellent work done by Dafydd Iwan and support and motivate Plaid Cymru's greatest asset - its membership." Ends. Notes Jill Evans will take over as President of Plaid Cymru on Saturday 11th September 2010 immediately following Dafydd Iwan’s conference speech. Jill Evans was born in the Rhondda in 1959 where she still lives. Jill attended University in Aberystwyth and then worked as a Research Assistant at the former Polytechnic of Wales where she gained her M.Phil. Degree. She worked for the National Federation of Women's Institutes in Wales for six years before taking up a post as Wales Regional Organiser for CHILD - The National Infertility Support Network. Jill Evans was a councillor for seven years - on the former Rhondda Borough and Mid Glamorgan County Councils and then Rhondda Cynon Taff County Borough Council. She was elected as Plaid Cymru's Alternate Member of the Committee of the Regions in 1993 and served for four years, and was also the party's representative on the European Free Alliance, working with Plaid Cymru's sister parties throughout the continent. Jill was Chair of Plaid Cymru between 1994 and 1996. In June 1999 she was elected as a Member of the European Parliament for Wales. Jill Evans was re-elected to the European Parliament in 2009 and is a member of the Green / European Free Alliance (EFA) Group - the fourth largest group in the Parliament. She is the President of EFA, and first Vice-President of the Greens/EFA Group in the EP. Jill also deputises on the Delegation for Relations with the Palestine Legislative Council. She is a member of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety and the Delegation for relations with Iraq. She deputises on the Agriculture Committee.