Green Party MEP Grace O'Sullivan wants a change to her party's constitution so members would have the option of voting for a joint leadership.
Deputy party leader, Catherine Martin, last night confirmed she would be challenging Eamon Ryan for leadership of the Greens. Nominations draw to a close this evening.
Ms O'Sullivan said: "I'm planning to put forward a motion at the annual party convention later this year calling for a change to the constitution. It's too late for the current leadership contest, but I think more choice should be available to membership in the future."
The Green MEP for Ireland South has decided against nominating either Catherine Martin or Eamon Ryan.
"After much consideration, and without the joint-leadership option available to me, I've decided against nominating one over the other. It's an honest position.
"I see strong leadership qualities, immense ability, dedication and true sincerity in both Eamon and Catherine," said Ms O'Sullivan.
"I expect to vote in the actual election, but it will be a difficult choice, for the reasons I've outlined. I haven't decided whether or not I'll publicly declare who I ultimately choose to vote for.
"Whatever the outcome, I'll wholeheartedly support whichever candidate wins the election."
Fellow Green Party MEP, Ciaran Cuffe, speaking on RTÉ radio's 'This Week', said he thought it was "a pity" that Ms Martin and Mr Ryan could not be co-leaders of the party as they were both "capable leaders".
He doesn't believe a leadership race should take place at present because it "wasn't the time to change horses mid-stream".
The Dublin-based MEP said Ms Martin's leadership challenge didn't mean she was unsupportive of her party leader. Under the party's constitution, a leadership vote had to take place after a general election.
Ms Martin wrote to around 100 party members yesterday confirming her intention to run. Sources claim she has received over 200 nominations - four times what is required.
The Dublin-Rathdown TD said the timing of the leadership election is "less than ideal" given that government formation talks are entering a critical phase.
Fianna Fáil has also described the timing of the Green Party leadership contest as far from ideal.
Speaking on RTÉ's The Week in Politics, Fianna Fáil TD Marc MacSharry said he assumes the Green Party are negotiating with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael "in good faith" and the leadership issue was ultimately one for the party.
Fianna Fáil's @MarcMacsharryTD says his party wants hate crime legislation and have it 'adequately enforced’ #rtetwip pic.twitter.com/SEiD1W3GxZ
— The Week in Politics (@rtetwip) June 7, 2020
Mr MacSharry also said that there are still some difficult issues outstanding in government formation talks, adding that his party's position on the pension age being 66 remains.
