The Green Party of Prince Edward Island has elected Matt MacFarlane as its new leader in a decisive first-ballot win. The Borden-Kinkora MLA received 507 of the 647 votes cast, defeating former MLA Hannah Bell in what many observers saw as a referendum on the party’s direction following a challenging electoral cycle.
“BREAKING: Matt MacFarlane has been elected leader of the P.E.I. Green Party… He was running against former Green Party MLA Hannah Bell,” CBC journalist J. Wayne Thibodeau announced on X (formerly Twitter) shortly after the results were released.
MacFarlane’s victory secures a commanding mandate—garnering nearly 80% of the vote—and signals a strong appetite among party members for pragmatic electoral strategy and renewed momentum heading into the next general election and two anticipated by-elections.
A Choice Between Experience and Renewal
The leadership contest had drawn a clear contrast between MacFarlane’s emphasis on immediate electoral viability and Bell’s call for deeper organizational reform rooted in equity and grassroots empowerment.
During the final leadership debate, Bell stood by her critical 2023 comments about the party’s lack of readiness for the last campaign, telling members:
“I stand by every word. The article wasn’t an attack — it was an invitation to do better.”
MacFarlane, while acknowledging Bell’s contributions and experience, consistently focused on building a “big tent” party capable of forming the next government.
“My short-term vision for the Green Party of Prince Edward Island is to form the very next government,” he said during the debate’s opening statements.
“We’re going to have strong leadership that attracts people to our party… We need to punch above our weight.”
Looking Ahead
MacFarlane now faces the immediate task of preparing for upcoming by-elections and rebuilding the party’s infrastructure following its 2023 decline. His leadership style—collaborative, outward-facing, and message-driven—appears designed to recapture the energy of the Greens’ historic 2019 breakthrough, when the party formed the Official Opposition.
Hannah Bell, for her part, has already committed to continuing her work with the party. In the final moments of the debate, when asked whether she would run again if she lost, she replied without hesitation:
“Yes. In fact, I would like to run in the next by-election.”
With the Green Party’s future once again in motion, the leadership contest has reignited debate about the party’s identity, priorities, and the path it must take to regain the trust—and votes—of Islanders.
