Editing Plaid Cymru (section)

====Third National Assembly (2007–2011)====
In the [[2007 National Assembly for Wales election|National Assembly election]] of 3 May 2007, Plaid Cymru increased its number of seats from 12 to 15, regaining [[Llanelli (National Assembly for Wales constituency)|Llanelli]], gaining one additional list seat and winning the newly created constituency of [[Aberconwy (National Assembly for Wales constituency)|Aberconwy]]. The 2007 election also saw Plaid Cymru's [[Mohammad Asghar]] become the first ethnic minority candidate elected to the Welsh Assembly.<ref>{{cite news |title=First ethnic minority AM elected |work=[[BBC News]] |date=4 May 2007 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/6622925.stm |access-date=6 May 2007 |quote=The assembly has its first ethnic minority member with the election of Plaid Cymru's Mohammad Asghar on the regional list. Mr Asghar, who was second on the Plaid list, was the fourth and final AM to be elected in South Wales East. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070516223542/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/6622925.stm |archive-date=16 May 2007 |url-status=live }}</ref> The party's share of the vote increased to 22.4%.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-12-04 |title=BBC NEWS {{!}} Election 2007 {{!}} Welsh Assembly {{!}} Election Result: Wales |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/vote2007/welshasssembly_english/html/scoreboard_99999.stm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231204230424/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/vote2007/welshasssembly_english/html/scoreboard_99999.stm |url-status=dead |archive-date=2023-12-04 |access-date=2025-03-23 }}</ref>

After weeks of negotiations involving all four parties in the Assembly, Plaid Cymru and Labour agreed to form a [[coalition government]]. Their agreed "[[One Wales]]" programme included a commitment for both parties to campaign for a Yes vote in a [[2011 Welsh devolution referendum|referendum on full law-making powers]] for the Assembly, to be held at a time of the Welsh Assembly Government's choosing.<ref name=":2">{{cite news |title=Details of Labour–Plaid agreement |work=[[BBC News]] |date=27 June 2007 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/6246428.stm |access-date=31 July 2008 |quote=On the sensitive issue of giving the Welsh assembly full law-making powers, a referendum on the issue is promised "as soon as practicable, at or before the end of the assembly term (in 2011)". According to the document "both parties will then take account of the success of the bedding down of the use of the new legislative powers (which came in after last May's election) already available and, by monitoring the state of public opinion, will need to assess the levels of support for full law-making powers necessary to trigger the referendum". |archive-date=6 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220806084527/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/6246428.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> Ieuan Wyn Jones was subsequently confirmed as [[First Minister of Wales|Deputy First Minister of Wales]]<ref>{{cite news |title=Jones confirmed as deputy leader |work=[[BBC News]] |date=11 July 2007 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/6290480.stm |access-date=31 July 2008 |quote=Plaid Cymru leader Ieuan Wyn Jones said it was a "great honour" to become the Welsh assembly's Deputy First Minister. He was Plaid's first government minister in the party's 82-year history. In accepting the post as part of the coalition deal with Labour, Mr Jones said it was an "historic statement" personally and for his party. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071009061517/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/6290480.stm |archive-date=9 October 2007 |url-status=live }}</ref> and [[Minister for the Economy and Transport]]. [[Rhodri Glyn Thomas]] was appointed Heritage Minister. He later stood down, and [[Alun Ffred Jones]] took over. Ceredigion AM [[Elin Jones]] was appointed to the Rural Affairs brief in the new 10-member cabinet. [[Jocelyn Davies]] became Deputy Minister for Housing, and later, Regeneration.{{Citation needed|date=May 2023}}

In the [[2010 United Kingdom general election|2010 general election]], Plaid returned three MPs to Westminster. They took part in the [[Yes for Wales]] cross-party campaign for the March 2011 referendum.{{Citation needed|date=May 2023}}