THE NEW LEADER of the Green Party will be announced on 8 July.
The party confirmed the date following a meeting of its executive committee this evening, after Integration Minister Roderic O’Gorman and Junior Minister and Senator Pippa Hackett both announced their bids to replace outgoing party leader Eamon Ryan today.
Nominations for the leadership contest can be submitted from 9am tomorrow until 9pm on Monday, 24 June. The names of those seeking to become leader will be made public the following morning.
Candidates need to be a full member of the party and will need to receive 50 nominations from other party members.
Hackett was the first to receive the backing of party colleagues this morning, when Minister of State with responsibility for Public Procurement Ossian Smyth and Senator Pauline O’Reilly announced they would be supporting her bid.
However, O’Gorman was the first to announce that he was running for the top job. In a video shared on social media, he said he wanted “to build a party that can win across this country, and deliver on our ambitions”.
Junior Minister Malcolm Noonan said that he was backing O’Gorman, and welcomed a debate around the party’s communications.
Hackett later confirmed to Newstalk that she was entering the leadership race. “I think Eamon’s departure yesterday does give us an opportunity in the party for a fresh start. I believe a fresh start is needed. I believe I can be that fresh start,” she said.
She said her different perspective and life experience could make the Green Party relatable.
The party’s deputy leader Catherine Martin also announced on Tuesday she would “step back” from her role and confirmed that she was not putting herself forward for the leadership contest.
The Green Party suffered a poor performance at the local and European elections earlier this month, which saw the Greens lose both of their MEP seats.
The party said that information about the deputy leadership election, the hustings and voting will be sent to members in the coming days.
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