Martin named new Irish PM, vows to tackle recession

Ireland’s parliament has picked veteran opposition leader Micheál Martin as prime minister to head the first ever coalition uniting the two parties that have battled each other for power since a civil war nearly a century ago.

He pledged to rescue Ireland from “the fastest-moving recession ever to hit,” brought on by the coronavirus crisis.

Martin’s Fianna Fail party was forced to join forces with its foes Fine Gael, after a surprise election surge for leftist Irish nationalists Sinn Fein left neither of the traditional centrist parties with enough support to govern on its own.

Under a novel agreement, Martin is expected to step aside half way through the 5-year term to allow Fine Gael’s leader, outgoing Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, to return to the post.