Greens deputy leader Mehreen Faruqi has emerged as a leading contender to replace Larissa Waters after the outgoing leader announced she was stepping down due to kidney disease on Monday.

Faruqi is widely expected to contest the leadership, backed strongly by the party’s activist base, particularly those pushing for a more confrontational approach to Labor and a sharper focus on social justice and Palestine.

The Pakistani-born NSW senator has attracted support from several grassroots groups in recent years.

In 2025, the Blak Greens, a group led by First Nations members, formally endorsed Faruqi and signed an open letter organised by the NSW Young Greens backing her leadership.

That support was later reinforced when the Blak Greens passed a motion calling for Faruqi to take over the First Nations portfolio from Indigenous senator Dorinda Cox.

‘The First Nations portfolio (must) be moved to Senator Mehreen Faruqi,’ the motion said.

The same meeting also criticised Cox, a former police officer whose more moderate stance has long drawn opposition from parts of the party’s left.

These tensions contributed to Cox’s eventual defection to Labor, after she became increasingly frustrated with elements of the Greens’ membership and culture.

Mehreen Faruqi (pictured) is considered a frontrunner for the leadership of The Greens 

The Blak Greens also moved against another possible leadership contender, resolving that South Australian senator Sarah Hanson-Young should not become leader.

At the time, it said Hanson-Young ‘would not be an effective leader in implementing Australian Greens policies relating to First Nations issues, racial justice, social justice (and) the liberation of the Palestinian people’.

The Australian Young Greens passed a similar motion opposing a Hanson-Young leadership bid at the same time.

Hanson-Young also faces scepticism from some parts of the party base, despite her seniority and long tenure in the Senate.

The South Australian senator is married to political lobbyist Ben Oquist, a partner at DPG Advisory Solutions, which has counted Rio Tinto, Wesfarmers, Uber and Ausgrid among its clients. 

For some party activists, the relationship has become a symbol of the Greens’ growing proximity to the political establishment.

While Faruqi is an early favourite among activists, she is not the only candidate being considered on the party’s left.

Several Greens sources believe David Shoebridge could also emerge as a strong contender if he chooses to run, particularly among MPs and senators seeking a unifying leader after a bruising election.

David Shoebridge (pictured) is also expected to stand for the leadership of the Greens Party

In 2025, the Greens lost three of their four lower house seats, including Melbourne, the party’s former stronghold, which had been held by former leader Adam Bandt.

Shoebridge’s status in the party was on display earlier this month when he publicly defended Waters following a highly visible internal rebellion.

The dispute erupted when senators Nick McKim, Vanessa Bleyer and Jordon Steele-John crossed the floor to support a Coalition disallowance motion targeting a proposal for a future NSW Koala National Park and Australia’s carbon offset framework.

The move came despite Waters and the leadership having negotiated amendments with Labor, prompting Energy Minister Chris Bowen to publicly thank her for helping secure a deal.

Although the disallowance motion was defeated, the sight of Greens senators voting against their own party’s position fuelled speculation about divisions.

The episode exposed a growing split between MPs willing to accept incremental policy wins and activists who remain deeply sceptical of market-based climate policies like carbon offsets.

Waters rejected suggestions that the vote reflected wider leadership problems when questioned by the Daily Mail. 

‘I’m really pleased that we were able to secure some important improvements,’ she said.

Larissa Waters (centre) on Monday announced her resignation as leader of the Greens 

‘We will work every single day to end native forest logging and to stop coal and gas projects from using dodgy ACCUs as a get-out-of-jail-free card. So I feel very pleased and confident about the fight that’s coming.’

Shoebridge, standing beside her, defended Waters.

‘On the question of leadership, when tough decisions needed to be made, Larissa made them last week,’ he said.

‘She showed leadership. It’s something that a less effective leader could easily have walked away from, but she didn’t.’

The comments have only added to speculation that Shoebridge could emerge as a unity candidate if the contest becomes a choice between the party’s activist wing and more pragmatic parliamentarians.

Shoebridge is also seen as the most outspoken and effective performer within the party on issues of artificial intelligence, AUKUS, defence and the Middle East, all considered key concerns for Greens members.

While Shoebridge also comes from the party’s left wing, his supporters believe he would be better at connecting the Greens with mainstream voters.

A vote to decide the new party leader will be held at a party room meeting in Sydney later this week, with the result expected by Thursday at the latest.