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Debian Project Leader election 2025 edition
Four candidates have stepped up to run in the 2025 Debian Project Leader (DPL) election. Andreas Tille, who is in his first term as DPL, is running again. Sruthi Chandran, Gianfranco Costamagna, and Julian Andres Klode are the other candidates running for a chance to serve a term as DPL. The campaigning phase ended on April 5, and Debian members began voting on April 6. Voting ends on April 19. This year, the campaign period has been lively and sometimes contentious, touching on problems with Debian team delegations and finances.
Debian's Constitution defines the duties, powers, and responsibilities of the project leader. Part of the role includes serving as a public face for Debian, giving talks and attending events on behalf of the project, and managing Debian's relationships with other projects. The DPL role is not merely ceremonial: the project leader appoints delegates to various committees, such as the Debian Technical Committee, Debian System Administration (DSA) team, Treasurer team, and others.
The DPL serves a one-year term, with no limits placed on how many consecutive terms a person may serve. Jonathan Carter, who declined to run again last year, currently holds the record for most terms served: he held the position for four consecutive terms, from April 2020 to April 2024. Two candidates stood for election last year: Chandran and Tille. Out of more than 1,010 Debian developers who were eligible to vote in 2024, only 362 voted; Tille won the election by a healthy margin.