Louth councillor loses race to become Green Party Deputy Leader

Louth County councillor Marianne Butler has lost the race to become Green Party Deputy Leader. 

Cllr Butler lost out to Dublin City councillor and former Lord Mayor Hazel Chu. The vote came as a result of the resignation of former Deputy Leader, Róisín Garvey

Cllr Butler received 36.8 per cent support from Green Party members, despite receiving endorsement from senator and former minister of state Malcom Noonan. 

Cllr Butler congratulated the new Deputy Leader and thanked the members who voted for her. 

"While we are all committed to rebuilding our Party, members saw different visions, for how that should happen. That’s a good thing and I hope that conversation will continue.

The urgent need for climate action, social justice and nature restoration remains and our work continues with the same passion and purpose.  I look forward to working with our leadership team as we now focus on the upcoming bye-elections and European and local elections in 2029,” she said. 

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Green Party leader Roderic O'Gorman praised Cllr Butler for using her experience as a councillor to rebuild the party. 

The Green Party lost all but one of its seats in the 2024 general election, with its leader Roderic O'Gorman the only TD out of 12 to hold his seat. 

Cllr Chu ran in the Dublin Bay South constituency in the general election, receiving over 3,000 first preference votes, although was eliminated on the 7th count. 

She also contested the 2025 Seanad elections before losing out.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.