Joost de Valk, co-founder of the Yoast SEO plugin, recently called for a significant shift in WordPress governance, advocating for a move away from Matt Mullenweg’s sole leadership. Joost proposed the creation of a more democratic and diverse board that accurately represents the various stakeholders in the WordPress ecosystem. However, Mullenweg has resisted these calls for change.
Criticism of Mullenweg’s Leadership
Joost’s criticism was triggered by Mullenweg’s decision to pause WordPress services during the holiday season, which inadvertently led to complications with WordCamp registrations. This issue forced Joost to intervene by creating a GitHub ticket to resolve the problem. Joost argued that this incident highlighted the growing problems of having a single individual in control of such an influential project.
Mullenweg’s leadership style came under scrutiny as Joost referred to him as a “Benevolent Dictator For Life” (BDFL), a title that, according to Joost, no longer fits. Joost pointed out Mullenweg’s attempt to reframe his role as an “enlightened leader” in an interview, which Joost dismissed. He noted that many within the WordPress community would strongly disagree with this characterization.
The Lack of Democracy in WordPress
Joost further pointed out the irony that while the WordPress project champions the mission to democratize publishing, its internal governance is far from democratic. He argued that the centralized control by a single person stifles diversity of opinion and hampers growth. Additionally, Joost criticized the restrictive control over the WordPress trademark, which he believes limits innovation and progress within the broader community.
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