Zack Polanski faces leadership crisis after byelection defeat and Zionism motion

Green Party leader Zack Polanski is confronting the most severe test of his tenure following a decisive byelection defeat in Holborn and St Pancras and a furious internal backlash over a contentious conference motion defining Zionism as racism, according to reports by Yahoo News and the Daily Mail. The north London contest, triggered by the resignation of former prime minister Sir Keir Starmer, was won by Labour candidate Sagal Abdi-Wali, who secured 12,292 votes to defeat Polanski, who trailed behind with 8,928 votes. While the Green Party pointed to a substantial swing in its vote share compared to previous general elections, the defeat halted the party's momentum and laid bare deep ideological divisions following its annual gathering in Brighton.

The political crisis deepened when party activists at the Brighton conference endorsed a policy motion declaring Zionism to be a form of racism, according to The Conversation. The motion defined Zionism as an ideology supporting "an ethnonationalist Jewish state" and backed a "single democratic Palestinian state in all of historic Palestine", which includes modern-day Israel. Polanski, who is Jewish, did not participate in the conference vote because he was campaigning in north London. When questioned by broadcasters, he stated that he would not have backed the unamended text on the floor but would have supported amendments.

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Zack Polanski loses his byelection bid – and the Green party’s Zionism motion has outraged its closest allies in Europe

The decision immediately unleashed an intense domestic and international backlash. The Israeli government barred Polanski from entering the country, accusing the party of antisemitism, a sentiment echoed by UK and US government figures. Vivien Lichtenstein, chair of the Jewish Greens, called for Polanski's resignation on Times Radio, describing his absence from the debate as a dereliction of duty. Prominent figures from within the Green movement also condemned the outcome. Former party leader Caroline Lucas told BBC Newsnight that Polanski failed to show necessary leadership, calling the motion dangerous and divisive. Jonathan Bartley, another former co-leader, warned that the party's brand had become toxic.

The fallout extended across the English Channel. According to reporting compiled by The Conversation, the German Greens described the motion as intolerable and unacceptable, while the European Green Party warned that the policy was incompatible with its own standards.

Despite the mounting pressure, internal fractures, and questions regarding his political judgment, Polanski insisted to journalists that he would carry on as leader. Writing for the Aol live coverage, supporters within the party noted that membership had surged significantly over the past year. However, critics argued that this rapid expansion had left the party vulnerable to entryism from hardline factions focused on international disputes rather than domestic environmental concerns.

As the dust settles on the north London contest, attention turns to how the Green Party will manage its fractured relationships with European sister parties and its domestic Jewish constituency. Observers will be closely watching upcoming party meetings to see whether leadership structures are reformed or if internal opposition crystallises into a formal challenge against Polanski's position.