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Leadership issue as Lib Dems meet German to decide on leader role
(about 21 hours later)
Welsh Liberal Democrats are gathering for their autumn conference with a question mark continuing to hang over their leadership in the Welsh assembly. The Liberal Democrat leader in the Welsh assembly announces later whether he wants to carry on in the post.
Mike German, who heads the party's six-strong assembly group, will reveal on Sunday whether he wants to carry on doing the job he has held since 1999. Mike German, who heads a six-strong group of AMs, said he would reveal his decision at the Welsh party's autumn conference in Aberystwyth.
He said he wanted to inform delegates in Aberystwyth of his decision first. MP Lembit Opik has already said he is to step down as Welsh party leader.
He has been under pressure since a poor result in May's election and assembly government coalition talks failed. Mr German has been under pressure since a poor result in May's election and the failure of assembly government coalition talks involving his party.
Mr German has declined to confirm in advance what his decision will be. Mr German, who has been party leader in the assembly since 1999, refused to confirm in advance what his decision would be.
There's a considerable political space for the Welsh Liberal Democrats Mike German AMThere's a considerable political space for the Welsh Liberal Democrats Mike German AM
Earlier in the week he said he was 99% certain what that would be - although by Friday he said his certainty had increased to 100%.
Lib Dem party rules state that a leadership election must be held within a year of an assembly election.Lib Dem party rules state that a leadership election must be held within a year of an assembly election.
Mr Opik, who has decided to step down as Welsh party leader after six years, said: "This will also give me more time to continue working to my very best ability for my Montgomeryshire constituency - my most important role of all."
He also attacked backbiting.
"A little more openness will go a long way to making us a more cohesive force in Welsh politics," he said.
"I ask you to extend that respect to my successor."
Mr German told BBC Radio Wales that he hoped members would be happy with what they heard from him.Mr German told BBC Radio Wales that he hoped members would be happy with what they heard from him.
'Confident liberalism''Confident liberalism'
But he added: "The most important task that we have facing us is occupying the political vacuum which has been left by the movement to the left of both Plaid and the Labour Party and there's a considerable political space for the Welsh Liberal Democrats.But he added: "The most important task that we have facing us is occupying the political vacuum which has been left by the movement to the left of both Plaid and the Labour Party and there's a considerable political space for the Welsh Liberal Democrats.
"There is a great opportunity for us because there are a great number of Plaid supporters who are unhappy with the direction their party has taken."There is a great opportunity for us because there are a great number of Plaid supporters who are unhappy with the direction their party has taken.
"They've ditched a huge number of their key programme policies.""They've ditched a huge number of their key programme policies."
"So now we are the only party which wants to replace council tax with a fair tax based on your ability to pay, which says there will be no nuclear power in Wales."So now we are the only party which wants to replace council tax with a fair tax based on your ability to pay, which says there will be no nuclear power in Wales.
"And if you really want to pursue the green agenda and make a difference to climate change then a vote for us is the only one which will work.""And if you really want to pursue the green agenda and make a difference to climate change then a vote for us is the only one which will work."
Mr German said by the end of the weekend not only his personal direction would be clear, but so would the "political space this party is going to occupy".Mr German said by the end of the weekend not only his personal direction would be clear, but so would the "political space this party is going to occupy".