Future leader of the Green Party

[holymoley]

Following the greens think-in in Dublin yesterday (i'm not a member, just a supporter, so i wasn't there, nor do i know what was talked about), the two key features for the future of the party seem to focus on the following:

i. The next leader of the party
ii. How to distinguish the party from the left opposition in the dail

For me, to get to (ii) a lot will depend on (i) as the leadership of the greens under gormley failed to do this at the last election. So what are the options? Eamon Ryan seems an obvious replacement but is he linked too closely to the past government? Are there any potential candidates outside of the former parliamentary members?

For me, it seems hard to look beyond Ryan as he has a high profile which is something i feel the greens will need to build its foundations around the country again.

[seanmacc]

It should be this guy.

[Cynical Observer]

Following the greens think-in in Dublin yesterday (i'm not a member, just a supporter, so i wasn't there, nor do i know what was talked about), the two key features for the future of the party seem to focus on the following:

i. The next leader of the party
ii. How to distinguish the party from the left opposition in the dail

For me, to get to (ii) a lot will depend on (i) as the leadership of the greens under gormley failed to do this at the last election. So what are the options? Eamon Ryan seems an obvious replacement but is he linked too closely to the past government? Are there any potential candidates outside of the former parliamentary members?

For me, it seems hard to look beyond Ryan as he has a high profile which is something i feel the greens will need to build its foundations around the country again.

[Cynical Observer]

Ryan showed the lengths he will go to to get what 'HE' wants when he stood up in the Dail in support of Willie O'Dea. All this crap about him being forced into it and his 'visible feeling of discomfort is just a farce'. He did it because he wanted to stay where he was. The Greens had a chance when the numbers changed in the Dail and they had a bit of a hold on Fianna Fail - but what did they do LOOK FOR MORE POSITIONS FOR THEIR FRIEND getting Ryan's school mate Cuffe a minister position. That showed where their priorities lay.
Ryan also turned his back on the Shell to Sea people and and tried to imply on RTE radio that the campaigners were not "acting within the law". It didn't take him long to jump ship when he got what he wanted - a Minister. Did anyone every wonder why he got the senior minister post ahead of some others. That takes cunning long term thinking and Ryan seems to be good at that but can still keep the halo floating above his head. Time for the greens to wake up. They will never reinvent themsleves with someone who help fu*k them up to the state they are at now.

[Mushroom]

Following the greens think-in in Dublin yesterday (i'm not a member, just a supporter, so i wasn't there, nor do i know what was talked about), the two key features for the future of the party seem to focus on the following:

i. The next leader of the party
ii. How to distinguish the party from the left opposition in the dail

For me, to get to (ii) a lot will depend on (i) as the leadership of the greens under gormley failed to do this at the last election. So what are the options? Eamon Ryan seems an obvious replacement but is he linked too closely to the past government? Are there any potential candidates outside of the former parliamentary members?

For me, it seems hard to look beyond Ryan as he has a high profile which is something i feel the greens will need to build its foundations around the country again.

It might be worth while going, cap in hand, to one of the more intelligent former Green Party members who left the party in disgust when they sold out on their principles (and many of their voters) to lap up the soup from Bertie's bucket. Because to elect from within the tent will mean that the new GP leader is likely to turn out to be exactly the same kind of smug buffoon as the last two were - and a third dud leader in succession will kill off the Irish GP for good. For that reason, chosing Ryan would simply be announcing to the world at large that, like the Bourbons, Les Verts have learnt absolutely nothing from the past 4 disastrous years.

Alternatively, maybe Victoria White might be available - she certainly seems both stupid enough and bitter enough to be eligible - and having a female leader would be very PC and trendy!

[Buddies]

It might be worth while going, cap in hand, to one of the more intelligent former Green Party members who left the party in disgust when they sold out on their principles (and many of their voters) to lap up the soup from Bertie's bucket. Because to elect from within the tent will mean that the new GP leader is likely to turn out to be exactly the same kind of smug buffoon as the last two were - and a third dud leader in succession will kill off the Irish GP for good. For that reason, chosing Ryan would simply be announcing to the world at large that, like the Bourbons, Les Verts have learnt absolutely nothing from the past 4 disastrous years.

Alternatively, maybe Victoria White might be available - she certainly seems both stupid enough and bitter enough to be eligible - and having a female leader would be very PC and trendy!

Your too right. I know greens who were 'real people' who were disgusted at entering with FF and left, some grinned and bore it in the hope that 'becoming real politicians' would allow them to develop and implement a legacy of environmental difference.

The irony is that they left a toxic mess.

Back to the drawing board, I always had sympathy for the greens, and I would be far more likely to vote for them over FF

[Mondo]

They need a complete purge of their toxic leadership team.
Any of the names that were there propping up and prolonging the FF pillaging must go.

That means all of them: Sargent, Ryan, O'Boyle, Cuffe, Gogarty and first against the wall of course should be Gormley.

This won't happen of course so as a movement they are doomed.
The Greens will continue to unravel as long as they try justifying the morally bankrupt choices made by its former leadership team.

Perhaps time then for existing members who want to further the cause of environmentalism in Irish Politics to establish a new political party to pursue those aims.

[Mushroom]

That means all of them: Sargent, Ryan, O'Boyle, Gogarty and first against the wall of course should be Gormley.

And how could you have forgotten Green political leviathans like Cuffe and White?

Not to mention our resident Don Quixote from the Wesht, the "democratically elected" Senator (outgoing) Niall O'Bollockawn?

[Sync]

What I'd have done prior to the election would be to make a point of

A: Being seen to 100% have pulled the govt down. Say you accept the risk of collapsing at this crucial time but that FF must go. State it was a mistake to ever go in with FF and that you would make it your business to ensure they never get into power again.

B: Gormley resigns from the running of the party and as leader.

C: Reappoint Sargent who was against the entire thing from the start. State that he will step down after the election.

I genuinely think had they done that they'd have crept 2 into the Dail. Future leader can't be anyone that backed the FF deal though, so that rules out all ex TDs and senators.

[Mondo]

And how could you have forgotten Green political leviathans like Cuffe and White?

Not to mention our resident Don Quixote from the Wesht, the "democratically elected" Senator (outgoing) Niall O'Bollockawn?

Apologies - feel free to add to the list.

I feel sorry for their ordinary members.
Inevitably they will be asked to choose a new leadership from a list of tainted candidates.
A pointless exercise - it will never deliver the fresh start they need.