Martin named prime minister in Ireland’s first ever grand coalition
MICHEAL MARTIN became Ireland’s new Taoiseach as the country’s two main parties Fianna Fail and Fine Gael buried a century-old rivalry yesterday to form the first grand coalition in the history of the state.
The two traditional big beasts of Irish politics along with the Green Party agreed to form a government following 140 days of negotiations.
Leo Varadkar, the Fine Gael leader, will become deputy prime minister until December 2022, when he will take up the role of Taoiseach again under a rotating leadership deal.
“I believe civil war politics ended a long time ago in our country, but today civil war politics ends in our parliament,” Mr Varadkar said. “Two great parties coming together with another great party, the Green Party, to offer what this country needs, a stable government for the betterment of our country and for the betterment of our world.” Mr Martin represents relative continuity for Ireland despite a surprise surge by Sinn Fein in the election earlier this year. He has been considered a prime minister-in-waiting for years, first being described as “the next Taoiseach” about two decades ago.
British Brexit negotiators can expect little deviation from Mr Varadkar’s hard line. Mr Martin has been a very vocal critic of Brexit and the Tory Party over the past four years.
Simon Coveney will remain as minister for foreign affairs to oversee Ireland’s role in the Brexit negotiations.
Sinn Fein becomes the largest party in opposition following its historic breakthrough in the general election, when it came second on 37 seats. Fianna Fail supported Fine Gael in the outgoing government in a confidence and supply arrangement. Both parties suffered a voter backlash in the election amid a housing crisis and chaos in the health system. Fianna Fail won 38 seats, while Fine Gael slumped to its worst-ever result of 35 seats to lie in third place.
Mary Lou McDonald, the president of Sinn Fein, accused Fine Gael and Fianna Fail of “conspiring” to keep her party out of government. She described the coalition as a “marriage of convenience”.
Even though the Green Party only won 12 seats, its manifesto heavily influenced the programme for government. All offshore oil and gas exploration has been banned and there is a commitment to reduce greenhouse gasses by seven per cent annually until 2030 – one of the most ambitious targets set by any developed country.
Mr Martin secured 93 votes in favour of his nomination as Taoiseach as nine independent MPs supported him.