Vula Tsetsi and Ciarán Cuffe have been elected as co-chairs of the European Green Party (EGP), receiving near unanimous support from the Green parties across Europe.
They supported their vision to take on the extreme right, and to bolster a green and just transition that benefits everyone.
Reaction came from Tsetsi who said: “Politically, we are challenged as never before. We are in the midst of a wave of anti-European, climate sceptic, extreme right populism. But fighting the extreme right is in the Greens’ DNA. The Christian Democrats, who are cooperating more and more with the extreme right, are crossing a line that no pro-European democrat should cross.”
“The European Green Party will unite Greens at all levels, work with other progressives and build on the successes of our enlargement in Southern, Central and Eastern Europe. From now on, we will fight with renewed energy for a greener future and new opportunities through a just transition. We will ensure that the ecological transition brings solutions to citizens’ concerns about the rising cost of living, the housing crisis and making ends meet.”
More comment came from Cuffe who said: “We have seen extraordinary progress of green legislation over the last decade, and we want to maintain that momentum in these challenging times. We can see the renewable energy revolution spreading across Europe. We want to ensure that green measures continue to deliver benefits for ordinary working people: lower bills, decent housing, and quality jobs.”
“We are supporting our member parties as they put forward robust solutions to the cost-of-living and housing crises, which will not be solved by market forces alone – from household energy credits in Ireland, to cost-rental housing in Vienna. We are delivering, and will continue to deliver, for people struggling to make ends meet.
“We are also living in dark times for democracy, with war in the Middle East and Ukraine, the election of Trump in the United States, and the rise of disinformation around the world. The European Greens will continue to shine a light in the darkness, and champion transparency, inclusion, and human rights for all.”
The duo succeeds to French senator Mélanie Vogel and Austrian MEP Thomas Waitz, who as co-chairs led the EGP through the recent European election campaign, and under whose tenure the Green family expanded in Central, East and South of Europe. Benedette De Marte, Secretary General of the EGP, was re-elected.
Tsetsi, who has served as Secretary General of the Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament since 2004, brings extensive experience. Her work has been crucial in shaping green policies and strengthening movements across Europe. A trained urban and regional planner, she has participated in several publications on sustainable development of cities.
Meanwhile, Cuffe, a long time environmentalist and urban planner, has been an advocate for sustainable cities and green mobility since the 1980s.
A dedicated cyclist, he has held numerous political roles: Dublin City Councillor, Member of the Irish Parliament, and Minister of State for Climate Action. Since 2019, he has served as a Member of the European Parliament, focusing on greening aviation and energy efficiency of buildings.
