Editing Cynog Dafis (section)

===Assembly Member ===
In 2000 he resigned as an MP to devote more time as a member of the [[National Assembly for Wales]], to which he had been [[1999 National Assembly for Wales election|elected in 1999]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=BBC News {{!}} WALES {{!}} Plaid Cymru MP stands down |url=https://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/595607.stm |access-date=2024-08-27 |website=newsimg.bbc.co.uk}}</ref>

In a speech at the [[National Eisteddfod of Wales|2000 National Eisteddfod]] at [[Llanelli]], Dafis called for a new [[Welsh language]] movement with greater powers to lobby for the Welsh language at the Assembly, UK, and EU levels.<ref name="languagemovement">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/871220.stm|title=BBC News - WALES - Call for new language movement|website=news.bbc.co.uk|access-date=9 August 2017}}</ref> Dafis felt the needs of the language were ignored during the first year of the Assembly, and that in order to ensure a dynamic growth of the Welsh language a properly resourced strategy was needed.<ref name="languagemovement"/> In his speech Dafis encouraged other Welsh language advocacy groups to work closer together creating a more favourable climate in which using Welsh was "attractive, exciting, a source of pride and a sign of strength".<ref name="languagemovement"/> Dafis pointed towards efforts in areas such as [[Catalonia]] and the [[Basque Country (autonomous community)|Basque country]] as successful examples to emulate.<ref name="languagemovement"/>

[[Dafydd Elis-Thomas|Lord Elis-Thomas]], former Plaid Cymru president, disagreed with Dafis' assessment, however. At the [[Urdd]] Eisteddfod, Lord Elis-Thomas said that there was no need for another Welsh language act, claiming that there was "enough goodwill to safeguard the language's future".<ref name="languagerow">{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/776895.stm|title=BBC News - WALES - Elis-Thomas in language row|website=news.bbc.co.uk|access-date=9 August 2017}}</ref> His controversial comments prompted ''[[Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg]]'' to join a chorus calling for his resignation as the Assembly's presiding officer.<ref name="languagerow" />

In 2002, Dafis announced he would step down from the Assembly at the 2003 elections, despite party leader [[Ieuan Wyn Jones]] having asked him not to do so.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2002-09-20 |title=Plaid Cymru 2002: Ieuan Wyn Jones speech |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/2270944.stm |access-date=2024-08-27 |work=[[BBC News]] |language=en-GB}}</ref> Soon after the elections in 2003, he announced his candidacy for Presidency of the party, but lost to [[Dafydd Iwan]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=2003-05-22 |title=Cynog Dafis enters Plaid contest |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/3048211.stm |access-date=2024-08-27 |work=[[BBC News]] |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2003-09-15 |title=Ieuan and Iwan for Plaid |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/3111166.stm |access-date=2024-08-27 |work=[[BBC News]] |language=en-GB}}</ref>