Andrew RT Davies has resigned as leader of the Welsh Conservative Party.
Earlier, the South Wales Central MS had won a confidence vote by nine votes to seven - including his own vote - after concerns were raised by some of the party's Senedd members.
Mr RT Davies, a South Wales Central MS, first served as leader of the Welsh Conservative group in the Senedd between 2011 and 2018, before returning to the role in January 2021 after Paul Davies resigned.
Recently, he has been at the centre of a number of controversies surrounding social media posts on topics including school dinners and devolution.
In a letter to party chairman, Bernard Gentry, he said: "I write to inform you of my resignation as Leader of the Welsh Conservative Group in the Senedd, once a successor is elected. I do so with regret."
He revealed that a group of Tory Senedd members had threatened to resign from their roles in shadow cabinet if he did not agree to step down as leader.
"I therefore requested a motion of confidence in my leadership to be held at a meeting this morning. This vote has now taken place. It was clear from the result that a substantial minority of the group do not support our approach, despite it being the only viable strategy available. While I would have been honoured to continue as leader, my position is consequently untenable."
Mr RT Davies added: "While there was significant resistance to our approach among certain elements of the Senedd Group, it is clear there is widespread support and enthusiasm among our wider party membership."
"Similarly, in those instances in which we were able to offer clarity of message, and were not undermined by some members of our own group, there was strong support among the general public too."
"Our campaigns against 36 more Senedd members, and the 20mph speed limits imposed on Wales by Labour, Plaid Cymru nationalists and the Liberal Democrats, are such examples.So too is our campaign supporting Welsh farmers against Labour’s ideologically motivated policies."
"Wales and the United Kingdom currently stand at a crossroads. Many people feel voiceless, believing that too few people in public life speak up for them. It is therefore vital those who are in a position to do so step up to the plate."
"While my tenure as leader has come to an end, I look forward to continuing in my role as a Senedd member and standing for re-election in 2026. I will continue to champion the causes that matter not only to me but also to the wider public in Wales, and use the profile that I have to help amplify them."
Mr Davies also hit out at members of his own party for publicly contradicting and undermining the party's position.
He said: "I would like to take this opportunity to offer my heartfelt thanks to those Senedd members who did support me and all our hardworking staff."
"Similarly, I would like to thank our dedicated party members and grassroots supporters, who are the lifeblood of our party."
"Without their commitment to paying their membership fees, knocking doors, delivering leaflets and raising funds, we would be unable to further the conservative cause."
"They do so not out of financial motivation or in the interests of personal gain but because they believe passionately in conservative values and in the UK. This stands in direct contrast to some Conservative Senedd members."
Mr Davies, who has led the Tories in two stints covering most of the past 13 years, will officially stand down once his successor is elected.
The new Tory leader will have less than 18 months at the helm before the Senedd election in May 2026, which will see the Senedd expand from 60 to 96 members.
On Monday, a YouGov opinion poll on voting intentions, published by ITV Cymru Wales, put the Welsh Tories in fourth place (19%) with Plaid Cymru topping the survey (24%), one point ahead of both Welsh Labour (23%) and Reform UK (23%).
Reacting to his resignation, Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth said: "The legacy of the Tories in Wales is one of chaos and cuts - a legacy that was roundly rejected at the ballot box this year."
"They offer no solutions for the challenges facing our communities and nor do they have a serious plan for government."
"Plaid Cymru stands ready to offer Wales a fresh start. While the Tories fight amongst themselves and Labour continues to let down our communities, Plaid Cymru is united and focused on delivering our vision to rebuild our economy, fix the NHS, demand fair treatment from UK Government and show real ambition for the future of our nation."
Additional reporting by Chris Haines - ICNN Senedd reporter
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