Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in November. 2023.
Victor Lochon | Gamarafo | Getty Images
Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar announced on Wednesday that he would resign as soon as Fine Gael appoints a new leader.
“When I became leader and Prime Minister in June 2017, I knew that part of leadership is knowing it’s time to hand the baton to someone else, and then having the courage to do so. Now is the time,” Varadkar said in Dublin told reporters outside a government office.
“I am therefore resigning as Chairman and Leader of Fine Gael with immediate effect and will resign as Prime Minister as soon as my successor is able to take office.”
Varadkar said the reasons for his resignation were “both personal and political”, suggesting the new leader would be better able to lead his party and the current centrist governing coalition, which also includes Fianna Fáil and the Greens ) heading into the upcoming local and party elections. European elections in June. The next national election must be held in early 2025.
He called for the election of a new leader on April 6 so that a new prime minister can be elected after the Easter holiday in Parliament.
“Best opportunity”
Fine Gael has suffered a series of heavy electoral defeats recently, and 11 of its MPs, known as Teachta Dála (TD), have announced that they will not stand again at the next election. Varadkar said he no longer felt he was the best person to lead the party.
He said: “There are loyal colleagues and good friends standing in the local and European elections and I want to give them the best chance and I think they have a better chance under the new leader.”
Varadkar will continue to serve as the ward councilor for Dublin West and said he had “no other arrangements” and “no clear personal or political plans”.
In 2017, Varadkar became the first gay Prime Minister in Ireland’s history and the youngest Prime Minister in Ireland’s history, serving until 2020. He returns as prime minister in 2022 as part of a rotation agreement between Ireland’s two main political parties, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil. A political party in a three-party coalition.
Dublin Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday praised Varadkar for his role in leading Ireland’s post-Covid recovery.
Mary Rose Burke, chief executive of Dublin Chamber of Commerce, said: “We were lucky to have been able to interact with him during his time as minister and prime minister. Investment, employment and living standards are now at the highest levels in the state’s history. ” A statement.
“We would like to thank him for his long-standing support and involvement with Dublin Chamber of Commerce and his work in advocating for businesses in the area and we wish him all the best for the future.”
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