Greens Leader Defeated in London Election Amid 'Zionism is Racism' Controversy

Abdi-Wali, who serves as the local council leader, received 12,292 votes, while Polanski garnered 8,928 votes, representing 33 percent of the electorate. The election, which saw a voter turnout of 38.7 percent, was triggered by the resignation of former Prime Minister and Labour leader Keir Starmer. Following her victory, Abdi-Wali pledged to focus on local housing issues.

The victory provides a significant boost to Labour leader Andy Burnham as he works to strengthen the party's urban support. Burnham has recently shifted Labour's policies, adopting a firmer stance on Israel and seeking closer ties with the European Union, which helped counter the rise of the Green Party among left-leaning voters.

The campaign was marked by controversy surrounding the Green Party, which recently passed a resolution labeling Zionism as racism. The motion drew widespread criticism and led to an Israeli government decision to ban Polanski, a 43-year-old Jewish politician, from entering Israel. Behadrei Haredim characterized Polanski as holding anti-Israel and antisemitic stances, while Polanski maintained that the expulsion of Palestinians is a racist act. Despite the defeat, Polanski announced he would remain leader of the Green Party.