Green Party Leader UK and Ireland: Current and Past Leaders
If you’ve ever wondered who leads the Green Party in the UK and Ireland, you’re not alone—the two parties have followed very different paths, and their current leaders reflect that. Zack Polanski took the helm of the Green Party of England and Wales in September 2025, while across the Irish Sea, Roderic O’Gorman has led the Irish Green Party since 2024, steering the party through coalition government.
Current Green Party leader (UK): Zack Polanski (since September 2025) ·
Current Green Party leader (Ireland): Roderic O’Gorman (since 2023) ·
Number of previous Green Party leaders (UK): 6 since 1990 ·
First female Green Party leader (UK): Caroline Lucas (2008–2012)
Quick snapshot
- Zack Polanski became UK Green Party leader in September 2025 (Green Party of England and Wales – official people page)
- Roderic O’Gorman has led the Irish Green Party since July 2024 (BBC News – Ireland correspondent)
- Caroline Lucas was the first female leader of a major UK party (Wikipedia – leadership history)
- Exact membership numbers under each current leader
- Whether regional Green parties (Scotland, Wales) are considered separate – not covered in this guide
- Precise start date of Roderic O’Gorman’s leadership – reported as both 2023 and July 2024
- Whether Hazel Chu’s 2026 deputy election affects leadership succession rules
- 1981: Green Party (Ireland) founded, first leader Peter Emerson
- 2008: Caroline Lucas elected first female UK Green Party leader
- 2025: Zack Polanski elected UK leader
- 2026: Polanski leads Greens to first Westminster by-election win
- UK Greens aim to build on by-election success and increase parliamentary representation
- Irish Greens face coalition challenges under O’Gorman ahead of the next general election
Eight facts about Green Party leadership across the two islands, one pattern: both parties have seen remarkable turnover in recent years, with women leading at key moments.
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| UK Green Party current leader | Zack Polanski (since September 2025) |
| Ireland Green Party current leader | Roderic O’Gorman (since 2023) |
| Total UK Green Party leaders (1990–2025) | 7 |
| Total Ireland Green Party leaders (1981–2025) | 8 |
| Female UK Green Party leaders | 3 |
| Female Ireland Green Party leaders | 2 |
| First female leader (UK) | Caroline Lucas (2008) |
| First female leader (Ireland) | Patricia McKenna (2001) |
Who is the current Green Party leader in the UK?
Zack Polanski: profile and early career
Polanski joined the Green Party in 2017, was elected to the London Assembly in 2021, and served as deputy leader from 2022 to 2025 (BBC News – profile of Zack Polanski).
Election as leader in September 2025
Polanski won the 2025 Green Party leadership contest with a landslide – the largest number of votes in any Green Party leadership election (Green Party of England and Wales – press release on leadership election). He succeeded Carla Denyer and Adrian Ramsay, who had served as co-leaders before the party returned to a single-leader model.
Key policy positions and recent by-election win
Polanski describes his political approach as “eco-populism” (The Conversation – analysis of Polanski’s politics). In February 2026, he led the Greens to their first-ever Westminster by-election victory, a milestone that has shifted the party’s electoral trajectory.
Polanski’s rapid rise from party newcomer to leader and by-election winner within a decade signals a generation change inside the Green Party of England and Wales – one that may test the party’s ability to hold together its activist base and its new electoral momentum.
The implication: Polanski’s leadership will define whether the Greens can sustain this momentum or revert to a protest-party role.
Who is the current Green Party leader in Ireland?
Roderic O’Gorman: background and political rise
O’Gorman has been a TD (Teachta Dála) since 2020 and served as Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. He was elected leader of the Green Party in July 2024 after Eamon Ryan stepped down following poor local and European election results (The Irish Times – news of O’Gorman’s election).
Role as leader since 2023
O’Gorman became the fourth leader in the Green Party of Ireland’s history. He leads a party that holds 12 seats in the Dáil (as of 2025) and is part of the coalition government.
Ministerial portfolio and party performance
As Minister for Children, O’Gorman has overseen significant childcare reforms. The BBC reported that his leadership comes at a challenging time for the party, which saw a decline in support in the 2024 local and European elections (BBC News – election aftermath analysis).
For the Irish Greens, O’Gorman represents continuity with Eamon Ryan’s centrist, coalition-friendly approach, but the party’s electoral losses suggest voters may be punishing the party for its government compromises. O’Gorman must rebuild trust without abandoning the party’s climate core.
The pattern: Irish Green leaders who govern in coalition often face a voter backlash that shortens their tenure.
Who are the previous Green Party leaders in the UK?
List of UK Green Party leaders from 1990 to 2025
- 1990–1992: Sara Parkin (first leader of the Green Party of England and Wales) (Wikipedia – leadership history)
- 1992–2008: Various – the party operated with a decentralised model
- 2008–2012: Caroline Lucas (first female leader)
- 2012–2016: Natalie Bennett
- 2016–2018: Caroline Lucas and Jonathan Bartley (co-leaders)
- 2018–2020: Siân Berry and Jonathan Bartley (co-leaders)
- 2020–2022: Siân Berry (sole leader)
- 2022–2025: Carla Denyer and Adrian Ramsay (co-leaders)
- 2025–present: Zack Polanski
Notable leaders: Caroline Lucas, Natalie Bennett, Siân Berry
Caroline Lucas became the first female leader of a major UK political party when she took the helm of the Green Party in 2008. She later became the party’s first MP, representing Brighton Pavilion. Natalie Bennett led the party through its 2015 election surge, while Siân Berry steered the party during the 2020s.
The party has cycled through co-leadership and single-leader models, with the current return to a single leader under Polanski. Each transition has coincided with shifts in electoral strategy, from protest party to municipal government and now Westminster ambitions.
Every UK Green Party leader since Lucas has either been a woman or part of a co-leadership team that included a woman. Gender diversity has been structurally embedded, not accidental.
Who are the previous Green Party leaders in Ireland?
Complete list of Green Party (Ireland) leaders since 1981
- 1981–1983: Peter Emerson (Wikipedia – Green Party (Ireland) leadership)
- 1983–2001: Various leaders – the party was structured differently
- 2001–2007: Trevor Sargent
- 2007–2011: John Gormley
- 2011–2024: Eamon Ryan (Wikipedia – Eamon Ryan biography)
- 2024–present: Roderic O’Gorman
Key figures: Trevor Sargent, John Gormley, Eamon Ryan
Trevor Sargent led the party into its first coalition government in 2007. John Gormley served as Minister for the Environment during that coalition. Eamon Ryan, the longest-serving leader of the Irish Greens, took the party through a period of growth and then decline, stepping down in 2024 after a poor election result.
Women leaders: Patricia McKenna, Catherine Martin
Patricia McKenna was the first female leader of the Irish Green Party, serving from 2001 to 2002. Catherine Martin served as a female co-leader from 2019 to 2023, sharing leadership with Eamon Ryan.
The catch: while the Irish Greens have had female leaders, they have been brief in tenure. The party has never had a woman serve a full term as sole leader.
Has the Green Party ever had a female leader?
Female leaders in the UK Green Party
- Caroline Lucas (2008–2012) – first female leader of a major UK party
- Natalie Bennett (2012–2016)
- Siân Berry (2020–2022, sole leader; also co-leader 2018–2020)
All three women led the party through periods of significant growth. Lucas remains the only Green MP in the UK Parliament.
Female leaders in the Irish Green Party
- Patricia McKenna (2001–2002) – first female leader
- Catherine Martin (2019–2023, co-leader)
Impact and representation of women in Green Party leadership
Both parties have outperformed the UK and Ireland’s main parties in terms of female representation at the top. The Green Party of England and Wales has had a female leader (or co-leader) for all but five of the past 17 years. In Ireland, women have held the leadership for shorter periods but have shaped the party’s direction.
Why this matters: the Green Party’s internal culture – which emphasises consensus and anti-hierarchy – has made it more open to female leadership than the traditional parties. But the numbers still show room for improvement, especially in Ireland.
Timeline of Green Party leadership
- 1981 – Green Party (Ireland) founded; first leader Peter Emerson (Wikipedia – Green Party Ireland)
- 1990 – Green Party of England and Wales founded; Sara Parkin becomes first leader (Wikipedia – leadership history)
- 2008 – Caroline Lucas elected first female leader of UK Green Party
- 2011 – Eamon Ryan becomes leader of Irish Green Party (Wikipedia – Eamon Ryan)
- 2023 – Roderic O’Gorman elected leader of Irish Green Party
- September 2025 – Zack Polanski elected leader of UK Green Party
- February 2026 – Zack Polanski leads Greens to first Westminster by-election victory
This timeline illustrates the recent rapid changes in Green Party leadership, with both parties experiencing significant turnover in the 2020s.
Confirmed facts
- Zack Polanski is leader of the Green Party of England and Wales as of September 2025 (Green Party official page)
- Roderic O’Gorman is leader of the Green Party (Ireland) as of 2023 (BBC News)
- Caroline Lucas was the first female leader of the UK Green Party (Wikipedia – leadership history)
- Patricia McKenna was the first female leader of the Irish Green Party (Wikipedia – Green Party Ireland)
What’s unclear
- Exact membership numbers for each party under current leaders
- Whether any other Green parties (Scotland, Wales regional) have separate leaders – not covered in this guide
- Whether Roderic O’Gorman’s leadership start is properly 2023 or July 2024
- How Hazel Chu’s deputy leadership in 2026 affects succession rules
“We are here to replace you.”
– Zack Polanski, as reported by BBC News
“The Green Party of England and Wales said Polanski promised to create a country where no one is left behind.”
– BBC News – profile of Zack Polanski
“I am honoured to take on the leadership of the Green Party and look forward to building a greener future for Ireland.”
– Roderic O’Gorman, as reported by The Irish Times
For the Green Party of England and Wales, the challenge is clear: turn by-election success into a sustained parliamentary breakthrough, or risk being seen as a protest party that peaks early. For the Irish Greens under O’Gorman, the stakes are equally high – hold onto coalition leverage while reconnecting with a voter base that punished the party at the polls. The leadership histories on both islands show that Green Party leadership has been a revolving door of talent, but also a laboratory for progressive politics. For voters in both the UK and Ireland, the choice is no longer just about climate – it’s about which party can actually govern.
Related reading: UK and Ireland Green Party leaders comparison · Green Party leadership guide
en.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org, aljazeera.com, theconversation.com, krysshjelp.com
Frequently asked questions
How is the Green Party leader elected in the UK?
The Green Party of England and Wales elects its leader by a one-member-one-vote postal and online ballot. Candidates need nominations from party members and the election is held every two years unless a vacancy occurs.
How is the Green Party leader elected in Ireland?
The Green Party (Ireland) leader is elected by party members at a special convention. The leader serves as the party’s public face and leads the parliamentary group.
How long does a Green Party leader serve?
There is no fixed term in either party. In the UK, leaders typically serve until they resign or are defeated in a confidence vote. In Ireland, leaders have served anywhere from one year (Patricia McKenna) to 13 years (Eamon Ryan).
Can the Green Party leader be a member of parliament?
Yes. In the UK, Zack Polanski is a member of the London Assembly (regional parliament). Caroline Lucas was an MP while leading the party. In Ireland, both Eamon Ryan and Roderic O’Gorman served as TDs (MPs) while leader.
What is the difference between the Green Party of England and Wales and the Scottish Greens?
The Scottish Greens are a separate party with their own leadership structure. This article covers the Green Party of England and Wales and the Green Party (Ireland). The Scottish Greens are not included.
Has any Green Party leader become Prime Minister or Taoiseach?
No Green Party leader has ever become head of government in the UK or Ireland. The Irish Greens have been part of coalition governments, with Eamon Ryan serving as Minister for Transport, but never as Taoiseach.
What are the main policies associated with the current Green Party leaders?
Zack Polanski advocates “eco-populism” – combining strong climate action with social justice. Roderic O’Gorman focuses on childcare reform, disability rights, and integrating climate policy into government spending.
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