THE Scottish Greens underwent a “generational shift” today with the election of MSPs Ross Greer and Gillian Mackay as the party’s new co-leaders.

They replaced Patrick Harvie, a co-leader for the last 17 years, and Lorna Slater in post for six, who both served as Scottish government ministers in a coalition with the SNP from 2021 until it collapsed in 2024.

While Mr Harvie had chosen not to contest the leadership poll, Ms Slater failed to win re-election amid widespread unease over the deal with the SNP and its acrimonious demise.

Eyebrows were raised at the Edinburgh press conference announcing the result when it emerged that just 950 of an estimated 7,000 party members had cast votes.

Ms Mackay and Mr Greer were elected in the first and third rounds respectively after Ms Mackay won 34 per cent of the first preferences, followed by Mr Greer with 31 per cent, Ms Slater with 28  per cent and activist Dominic Ashmole with 7 per cent.

Paying tribute to her predecessor, Ms Mackay, 33, said: “I want to thank Patrick for the work he has done for the party in the past 17 years.

“I have never known the Scottish Greens without him at the helm and I certainly think it is going to be an adjustment for us all.”

Joining in praise for Mr Harvie’s role in “transforming this party from a well-meaning, enthusiastic fringe outfit into a force capable of delivering the transformation people and planet really need here in Scotland,” Mr Greer, 31, said: “Patrick has defined our party in the eyes of the Scottish public for almost two decades. He has led us through periods of incredible growth and achievement.”

Looking to the future, Ms Mackay said: “Today marks a generational shift in the leadership of the Scottish Greens.”

Mr Greer accused Labour of “apeing every Nigel Farage press release” and the SNP of “dropping progressive policies all over the place,” meaning that the Greens were “the only genuinely progressive party left.”

He added: “Gillian and I have known each other for a long time. We have spent a long time talking about what we would do if we were ever in charge of this party.

“Now we get to stress-test all of those theories about what a Scottish Green Party led by us would actually look like.”