Simon Harris becomes Ireland’s youngest-ever Prime Minister, promising ‘reset’ | Wilnesh News

Ireland’s parliament confirmed Simon Harris as the country’s new prime minister on Tuesday, making him the youngest ever to hold the position.

Lawmakers voted 88 to 69 for Harris to succeed Leo Varadkar as Taoiseach. He will be presented with the seal of office by President Michael D. Higgins on Tuesday afternoon.

Varadkar surprised people and politicians by suddenly announcing his resignation late last month.

Harris, a former education minister, succeeded Varadkar unopposed as leader of the centre-right Fine Gael party. Harris, 37, will become the youngest ever prime minister, beating the record set by Varadkar, who was 38 when he took office in 2017.

In his first speech after the vote, Harris said he took office in a “spirit of humility” and hoped to bring “a new level of empathy” to public life.

He describes housing as the biggest social problem and is committed to “moving mountains” to build new homes. Harris promised “decisive action” on the climate crisis and prioritizing rural and regional development.

He also spoke of the “humanitarian catastrophe” in the Gaza enclave and condemned the Israeli government’s “overreaction” to the atrocities committed by the Palestinian militant group Hamas on October 7. He added that Ireland would use its position in the EU to call for a ceasefire.

in a speech Last month, after becoming prime minister-elect, Harris called his nomination a chance for a “reset” for the party.

“Under my leadership, Fine Gael stands for business, especially small businesses… Fine Gael stands for family farms… Fine Gael stands for law and order and stands with An Garda Siochána (police) and our streets are safe. “We will never allow crime to go unchecked,” he said at a party event, Reuters reported.

Fine Gael Fewer seats gained In the 2020 election, conservative rival Fianna Fáil, another dominant force in Irish politics, won.

According to the Irish Times, Sinn Féin’s election platform includes a commitment to unifying Northern Ireland, solving the country’s severe housing crisis and disrupting staid two-party politics. Sinn Féin doubled its share of the vote in 2016 and won the popular vote.

Fine Gael retained power through a coalition with Fianna Fáil and the Green Party.

Harris has limited time to adapt before heading into the campaign with Sinn Féin likely to emerge as the favorite. A vote must be held before March 22 next year, with all opposition parties demanding a vote following Varadkar’s departure.

Shanna Cohen, director of the Irish think tank TASC, said in an email that housing is a “clear challenge” for Harris, along with “access to health services, meeting carbon emissions targets and dealing with growing challenges.” Rightmost visibility”.

“Housing shortages and housing costs are having an impact on hospital staff, teachers and young workers… Health services in Ireland should become more accessible and cheaper through national health policy Slaintecare, but progress has been slow,” Cohen said. .

Varadkar received a standing ovation from MPs after delivering his farewell speech in the House of Commons.

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald criticized his record, accusing him of failing to address core issues and saying Harris would bring “more of the same” politics. Greens leader Eamon Ryan said Varadkar would keep the economy strong.

Harris faces this economy: Growth slowed sharply ING pointed out that by 2023, there have long been concerns about its high dependence on multinational companies.

Diarmaid Sheridan, senior analyst at Davy Research, said: “With the election over the next 12 months, (Harris’s) focus will be on delivering tangible assets, including housing and Most likely income tax relief as part of the budget to be announced in the autumn,” said via email.

“Foreign direct investment, especially from U.S. companies, has been a major driver of economic growth over the past decade. That won’t change, but Harris said there needs to be a need to address the impact of inflation and rising structural costs. of small local businesses taking steps to raise the minimum wage,” Sheridan said.

He added that such support could include VAT relief or rebates, but these would be temporary measures and may not address structural factors.

in a march ReportThe Economic and Social Research Institute predicts that all major economic activity indicators will grow in 2024 and 2025, and real incomes will resume growth. It also pointed to existing challenges posed by the cost of living, as well as threats posed by geopolitical tensions and infrastructure bottlenecks in “small open economies with large numbers of multinational corporations.”