By Natasha Bulowski, Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Green Party’s deputy leader resigned Tuesday for personal reasons, leaving 70-year-old Elizabeth May alone at the helm as party leader.

Jonathan Pedneault’s surprise resignation came more than a year and a half after he and May ran a successful campaign to be co-leaders in the Green Party’s last leadership contest. But before their shared leadership could take effect, party members had to agree to change the constitution to allow a co-leadership structure, a process that was delayed several times.