European Green Party elects new leadership in Tampere

Evelyne Huytebroeck from Belgium and Thomas Waitz from Austria were elected on Sunday as the new co-chairs for European Green Party (EGP) in a vote at the EGP Council convention in Tampere, Finland.

They take over the positions from Monica Frassoni and Reinhard Butikofer who have reached the end of their term. Election took place behind closed doors to the media.

EGP's media service quoted Huytebroeck as telling the convention that it is essential "that we come together as Green parties across Europe to tackle climate destruction and biodiversity loss and build on our recent Green Wave successes."

Waitz noted that Greens will work "beyond ideological concerns" so that they can help deliver "concrete policies across Europe that secure proper living conditions for the next generation," the party's media service reported.

"We need to readjust our economy and way-of-life so that we can create a future that does not depend on the exploitation of people, our resources and nature," he said.

Five members representing different regions in Europe were also elected to the party's executive committee.