Zack Polanski.

Zack Polanski elected Green Party leader – and he’s coming out fighting

Last Updated: September 2, 2025By

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Zack Polanski has been elected leader of the Green Party of England and Wales – and his victory signals a decisive gear-shift in the party.

Polanski, formerly the Greens’ deputy leader and a London Assembly member, defeated co-leadership candidates Adrian Ramsay and Ellie Chowns by a landslide 20,411 votes to 3,705.

Ramsay and Chowns are two of the Greens’ four MPs, but their more cautious strategy – rooted in slow, patient growth – was decisively rejected by members in favour of Polanski’s bold, media-focused vision.

He calls it eco-populism: a movement to rival Reform UK’s ability to stir public sentiment, but with policies rooted in social justice, environmental protection, and fairness.

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In his acceptance speech, Polanski highlighted two key priorities:

  • Nationalising the privatised water companies – after decades of pollution scandals and profiteering, Polanski says the industry must be brought back into public ownership to clean up rivers and seas, and to stop shareholders bleeding bill-payers dry.

  • Opposing the genocide in Gaza – at a time when most political leaders look the other way or make excuses for war crimes, Polanski has been clear: justice, peace, and human rights must come first.

During his campaign, he also announced a broader set of policies, signalling the kind of transformative leadership he hopes to bring:

  • Eco-populism and mass movement – using media-savvy communication to turn the Greens into a party of the people.

  • Wealth tax and redistribution – ensuring the rich, not ordinary people, fund the green transition.

  • Net zero strategy – framing climate action as a cost-of-living solution through initiatives like retrofitting homes.

  • Openness to left-wing alliances – building coalitions with other progressive groups and independents.

  • Corporate regulation and anti-oligarchy measures – challenging powerful corporations and protecting public interest.

  • Community organising and grassroots engagement – broadening participation beyond traditional political circles.

  • Support for LGBTIQA+ rights and intersectional justice – linking environmental and social justice.

  • Internal party democratization – reforming party structures for greater transparency and inclusion.

Polanski also brings a talent for communication – unsurprising for a former actor – and a willingness to be combative in the media.

That combination, coupled with policies that directly challenge vested interests, could give the Greens a louder and more relevant voice than ever before.

The election result marks a turning point. Instead of limiting itself to cautious growth in councils and a handful of parliamentary seats, the Green Party under Polanski looks set to embrace a mass movement approach.

His ambition is nothing less than to out-populist the populists – but with the facts and public interest on his side.

That could resonate with a public weary of privatisation scandals, climate inaction, and politicians who seem more interested in protecting corporations than people.

With Polanski at the helm, the Green Party just got a whole lot more interesting.

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