2025 Green Party of Canada co-leadership election

2025 Green Party of Canada co-leadership election

←  2022 February 4, 2025 Next  →
Turnout	29%
Candidate Elizabeth May & Jonathan Pedneault Abstention Votes 2,674 316 Percentage 89.4 10.6
Leader before election Elizabeth May (sole) Elected leaders Elizabeth May & Jonathan Pedneault (co-leaders)

2025 Green Party leadership election

Date	February 4, 2025
Convention	116 Albert Street Suite 812 Ottawa, Ontario [1]
Won by	Elizabeth May & Jonathan Pedneault
Ballots	1
Candidates	1 (joint ticket) (+ abstention)
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The Green Party of Canada held a co-leadership ratification election on February 4, 2025.

Background

On November 19, 2022, Elizabeth May was elected leader of the party once again, promising to convert the current leadership model into a co-leadership model, with Jonathan Pedneault being her co-leader. ^{[2] [3]} Notably, four of the six candidates approved to run in the 2022 leadership race campaigned as part of joint tickets, promising to appoint the losing member of their ticket as a deputy or co-leader. As co-leadership was not recognized in the Green Party’s constitution at the time of the leadership election, a move to shared leadership required approval from the Green Party. Former party leader Elizabeth May campaigned with Jonathan Pedneault; he became Deputy Leader while the two sought to amend the party constitution. ^{[4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10]}

In February 2024, party members were to vote on motions which, if passed, would have amended the party's constitution to implement a co-leadership model. ^[11] However, Pedneault was unsuccessful in his attempt to win a seat in the House of Commons through a by-election and the proposed constitutional amendment was not voted upon due to disagreement within the party. ^[12] On July 9, 2024, Jonathan Pedneault resigned as deputy leader, citing personal reasons. ^{[13] [14]} He returned in January 2025 to serve as co-leader, pending election by party membership, which was approved on February 4, 2025, in a landslide. ^{[15] [16] [17] [18]} However, while the vote was approved by 89.4% of the 2,990 Green Party of Canada members who voted, 71% of the total 10,301 Green Party of Canada members who were eligible to cast a ballot did not vote. ^[19]

Rules

To be eligible, a candidate:

• must complete a leadership contest application;
• must have been a member in good standing for at least three months at the end of the application period, unless their employment prohibited them from membership in a political party;
• must be eligible for election to the House of Commons; have no debt owed to the party;
• have no open litigation against the party;
• must be solvent;
• must not have participated in the writing of the campaign rules;
• must be "confirmed to be proficient in speaking and understanding speech in both official languages, such that they can carry out their duties in both languages", unless an Indigenous applicant;
• must have "not demonstrated a pattern, or committed a single egregious act, within reasonable recency, of evidenced and documented violations of the GPC members’ code of conduct, such as inciting or committing violence, racism or abuse";
• has not engaged in a pattern of public advocacy of "positions contrary to the Global Green Principles". ^[20]

All Party members age 14 and older were eligible to vote. ^[21]

Results

2025 Green Party of Canada co-leadership election

Candidate		Votes	%
Elizabeth May and Jonathan Pedneault		2,674	89.4
Abstention		316	10.6
Total votes		2,990	100.00

See also

• Green Party of Canada leadership elections
• 2025 Liberal Party of Canada leadership election

References

1. "Privacy Policy". Green Party of Canada. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
2. "Elizabeth May elected Green Party leader again, plans to co-lead with Jonathan Pedneault". November 19, 2022.
3. CBC News (November 21, 2022). "Political insider breaks down Green Party of Canada co-leadership win, potential trouble ahead". CBC News . Retrieved January 15, 2024.
4. "Elizabeth May wins Green Party of Canada leadership for second time – November 19, 2022". Archived from the original on November 20, 2022. Retrieved November 20, 2022– via www.youtube.com.
5. "Elizabeth May returns to Green Party leadership with running mate Jonathan Pedneault". thestar.com. November 19, 2022. Archived from the original on November 20, 2022. Retrieved November 20, 2022.
6. "Elizabeth May elected Green leader again, to share burden with Jonathan Pedneault". Toronto Sun. November 19, 2022. Archived from the original on November 20, 2022. Retrieved November 20, 2022.
7. "Jonathan Pedneault resigns from Green Party, leaving Elizabeth May as sole leader". Toronto Star. July 9, 2024. Archived from the original on July 9, 2024. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
8. "Deputy leader stepping down from bid to co-lead federal Green Party after internal debate". Toronto Star. July 9, 2024. Archived from the original on July 9, 2024. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
9. "Pedneault plans return as Green Party co-leader after 6-month pause". CBC News. January 27, 2025. Archived from the original on January 27, 2025. Retrieved January 27, 2025.
10. "Historic Vote: Greens Choose Co-Leadership". Green Party of Canada. Retrieved February 10, 2025.
11. Campbell, Ian (November 20, 2023). "One year after leadership vote, Greens yet to amend constitution, but still moving towards co-leadership". The Hill Times . Retrieved January 15, 2024.
12. "Deputy leader stepping down from bid to co-lead federal Green Party after internal debate". Toronto Star . July 9, 2024. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
13. "Green Party deputy leader Jonathan Pedneault steps down for 'personal reasons'". CBC News . July 9, 2024. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
14. "Jonathan Pedneault resigns from Green Party, leaving Elizabeth May as sole leader". Toronto Star . July 9, 2024. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
15. The Canadian Press (January 27, 2025). "Pedneault plans return as Green Party co-leader after 6-month pause". CBC News . Retrieved February 14, 2025.
16. Lachance Nové, Fabrice (February 4, 2025). "Historic Vote: Greens Choose Co-Leadership". Green Party of Canada. Retrieved February 14, 2025.
17. Benson, Stuart (February 11, 2025). "Greens can tap into global network as Canada finds itself with few friends amid U.S. threats, say co-leaders". The Hill Times . Retrieved February 14, 2025.
18. Thurton, David (February 18, 2025). "Green Party adopts green dot emoji 🟢 as new logo". CBC News . Retrieved February 18, 2025.
19. "Green Party Finally Publishes Voter Turnout—And It's Shockingly Low". Global Green News. February 5, 2025. Retrieved February 21, 2025.
20. "Leadership Contest Rules". Green Party of Canada. Archived from the original on June 28, 2022. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
21. Thurton, David (September 29, 2022). "Green party downsizes its leadership race after resignations". CBC News. Archived from the original on October 1, 2022. Retrieved October 1, 2022.