SCOTTISH Green members have voted to allow Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater to continue as party leaders while holding ministerial posts.
A motion to an online Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) called for a requirement for holders of “major office posts” in the party to step down if they are appointed to government.
However it fell after nearly two-thirds of members who voted – 65% – refused to support it, with 26% in favour and 9% abstaining.
Harvie and Slater became the first Green politicians anywhere in the UK to enter government following the signing of the Bute House Agreement with the SNP last year.
It had been suggested the motion calling for the separation of ministerial and party leader roles was indicative of some tensions among grassroots party members.
A Scottish Greens spokesperson said: “The result of the vote is a clear endorsement of the current leadership and arrangements in place.
“At a moment of vital constitutional history when Tories and Labour are locking arms to block Scotland’s democratic right to choose its own path, the Scottish Greens family and vision for independence has never been stronger.
“We are grateful to all our members for their involvement and consideration.”
The motion was originally due to be voted on ahead of the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in October, but the party said this was postponed because of technical difficulties posing potential accessibility issues for some members.
The Scottish Greens councillor for Partick East and Kelvindale, Blair Anderson, tweeted he was "delighted" the party had voted to "overwhelmingly endorse" the leadership of Harvie and Slater.
