Joost de Valk Calls for Leadership Change in WordPress, Sparking Major Debate Within the Community

Joost de Valk, the co-founder of Yoast SEO, has called for a radical shift in the way WordPress is governed, urging the community to break free from its longstanding leadership structure. His comments come in the wake of recent controversies surrounding WordPress.org and the ongoing legal dispute between Automattic and WP Engine, which has intensified frustrations within the community. De Valk’s call for change has sparked a heated debate, with various WordPress community leaders offering support and criticism alike.

De Valk’s main concern revolves around the growing influence of Matt Mullenweg, WordPress’s co-founder and the CEO of Automattic, who has effectively become the project’s “Benevolent Dictator For Life” (BDFL). According to de Valk, Mullenweg’s control over WordPress has grown to a point where it no longer serves the democratic values on which the platform was built. De Valk pointed out that the project’s tagline, “Democratizing publishing,” has not been reflected in the governance structure, which he believes has become overly centralized.

In a blog post that has since gone viral, de Valk stated, “We, the WordPress community, need to decide if we’re okay being led by a single person who controls everything and might do things we disagree with, or if we want something else.” He continued, “For a project whose tagline is ‘Democratizing publishing,’ we’ve been very low on exactly that: democracy.” His comments suggest that it’s time for WordPress to evolve into a more decentralized system, one that better reflects the diverse voices of its contributors.

De Valk didn’t shy away from addressing the problem with Mullenweg’s leadership style, arguing that while Mullenweg was once seen as a benevolent figure, his approach has become more authoritarian. “Matt is no longer Benevolent,” de Valk wrote. “Speaking up in public is a risk.” De Valk’s criticism stems from his experience working with Mullenweg over the years, during which he found that his influence within the WordPress community diminished as Mullenweg increasingly tightened his grip on the project.

Despite his criticisms, de Valk made it clear that he respects the work Mullenweg has done and acknowledged the pivotal role he has played in creating WordPress. “I’m still, to this day, very thankful for what Matt has created,” de Valk said. “I would love to work with him to fix all this. But it’s clear now, that we can no longer have him be our sole leader.”

De Valk’s proposed solution to the issue is a comprehensive reform of WordPress’s governance structure. He outlined five steps that, in his opinion, must be taken urgently to ensure the platform’s future:

1. Create a WordPress foundation-like entity: This entity would consist of a board with diverse representation to lead the project.
2. Transfer WordPress.org and key community assets: These should be handed over to the foundation to ensure more decentralized control over the project’s assets.
3. Make the WordPress trademark public domain: This would allow for free use and greater flexibility in how WordPress is represented.
4. Allow companies and individuals to sponsor the foundation: Sponsors could receive perks like listings on WordPress hosting pages, helping to build a more sustainable ecosystem.
5. From small, specialized teams: Teams dedicated to architecture, Products, events, and other areas should be created with proper governance.

One of de Valk’s boldest suggestions is the creation of “Federated and Independent Repositories,” which would decentralize the official WordPress repository. “Matt might not agree to my first five points above,” de Valk said. “However, we can still work on the Federated and Independent Repositories without his permission because, frankly, we don’t need it.”

De Valk has already initiated conversations with other prominent community figures, including Karim Marucchi, CEO of Crowd Favorite, to discuss how these reforms could be implemented. He has also offered to lead the movement if necessary, stating, “I’m here and willing to lead through this transition. I do have the time, the energy, and the money needed to fund myself doing it.”

Marucchi also voiced his support for de Valk’s vision, claiming that the current situation surrounding WordPress governance has put the ecosystem in jeopardy. He proposed five critical areas that need immediate attention:

1. Securing the supply chain and starting modernization efforts.
2. Defining and creating the Commons for open-source development.
3. Defining WordPress as the Open-Web’s Operating System.
4. Leveraging open-source as a hub for innovation.
5. Focusing on data ownership, privacy, and accessibility as priorities.

In January 2025, de Valk, Marucchi, and other key community leaders are expected to meet to further discuss how to move forward with these proposals.

Matt Mullenweg’s response to de Valk’s call for reform has been cautious but open. In a comment under de Valk’s blog post, Mullenweg said, “I think this is a great idea for you to lead and do under a name other than WordPress. There’s no way to accomplish everything you want without starting with a fresh slate from a trademark, branding, and people’s point of view.” Mullenweg’s response suggests that while he acknowledges the need for change, he may not agree with de Valk’s vision for a complete overhaul of the leadership structure.

The debate over WordPress’s future has sparked strong reactions across the community. Some, like Katie Keith of Barn2Plugins, have expressed support for de Valk’s analysis, stating, “Wow, I never expected someone as high profile as @jdevalk to speak out so openly against the current leadership of WordPress. However, I completely agree with his analysis of the situation and his proposed solutions.” Others, like Andrei Lupu, have voiced skepticism, questioning whether a move from one central figure to a board-based governance system is truly the solution to WordPress’s challenges.

For now, the WordPress community remains divided, with passionate arguments on both sides. As the discussions continue and reform plans take shape, the future of WordPress remains uncertain. What is clear, however, is that the call for change is louder than ever, and 2025 may be a pivotal year in the platform’s evolution.

As the debate rages on, the question remains: Will WordPress embrace a more democratic and decentralized future, or will it continue under its current leadership structure? The coming months will reveal whether de Valk’s bold vision gains traction or if the platform will remain under the control of one person. Regardless, the conversation about WordPress’s future is far from over.