Leadership latest

In the aftermath of General Election 2020, the Labour Party has concluded its leadership contest while the Green Party is set to hold an election this summer.

Labour Party

Alan Kelly TD has succeeded Brendan Howlin TD as leader of the Labour Party. In April, the Tipperary TD saw off a challenge from Dublin Bay North TD Aodhán Ó Ríordáin by 54.7 per cent to 45.3 per cent.

First elected to the Dáil in 2011, Kelly is a veteran of parliamentary politics having served for three years as Minister of State in the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (2011-2014) and two years as Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (2014-2016). At that time, he was also deputy leader of the party.

Infamously, during an interview with the Irish Independent in early 2016, he suggested: “Anybody who says that power isn’t attractive is telling you a lie. Of course it is. It’s obviously a drug. It’s attractive. It’s something you thrive on. It suits some people. It doesn’t suit others. I think it suits me.”

Given his reputation as a brash politician, many anticipated AK47 might have sought to exert Labour’s influence on government formation talks. For the moment, however, the new Labour leader seems keen to remain on the opposition benches.

Within 24 hours of acceding the leadership role, Kelly stated: “When it comes to forming a government, we have been very clear since the general election that it is up to other parties to take their responsibilities seriously and it is up to them to form a stable government.”

Green Party

Meanwhile, the Green Party constitution dictates that a leadership contest must occur within six months of a general election.

Éamon Ryan TD has been at the helm of the Green Party for 10 years, having led the party back from the brink in 2011, through the wilderness years until 2016 when the party gained two Dáil seats, before making significant gains in the 2019 local and European elections. Today, the party has 12 TDs, two senators, two MEPs and over 40 councillors, including five in the North.

Ryan, who represents Dublin Bay South, was taken by surprise by a letter signed by four Cork-based Green Party councillors – Lorna Bogue, Colette Finn, Oliver Moran and Liam Quaide – urging deputy leader Catherine Martin TD to make a challenge for leadership of the party.

Acknowledging the letter, Dublin Rathdown TD Martin indicated that she would give “serious consideration” to the request. “Thank you to the Green Party members who have asked me to step up and contest the upcoming leadership election… I believe it is important that government formation talks fully conclude uninterrupted and that any leadership campaign happens subsequently,” she tweeted.

At the time of print, nominations for the leadership election had opened and candidates require the support of just 50 of the party’s 2,700 members. Postal ballots will be distributed to Green Party members on 1 July and must be returned ahead of the count on 23 July. If the support for Ryan within the parliamentary party is mirrored across the broader membership, it seems likely he will retain the role.