Varadkar steps down as elections loom
A general election was narrowly avoided as on Wednesday, Leo Varadkar announced that he would be stepping down as Taoiseach and Fine Gael leader. The unexpected announcement came at midday, as reports emerged of an ‘earthquake’ decision set to come.
Speaking at Leinster House, Varadkar said that he was resigning as Fine Gael leader with immediate effect and will remain as Taoiseach until a new party leader is elected after the Easter recess. The decision to step down was made, according to Mr Varadkar, due to ‘personal and political reasons’.
His successor will be instated just two months before the local and European elections, to be held in early June. A general election is also due within the next 12 months.
While a new Taoiseach has yet to be named, bookies' odds of 2/9 see Simon Harris as the favourite for the next permanent leader of Fine Gael, followed by Paschal Donohoe at 6/1 and Simon Coveney at 7/1, who has since ruled himself out of the race.
'GOODWILL FOR THE PATH AHEAD'
Following the unexpected bombshell of Taoiseach Leo Varadkar's resignation, the leader of the Rural Independent Group, Deputy Mattie McGrath extended ‘sincere well wishes to Leo Varadkar for his future endeavours’.
Stating that their ‘policy stances may not always align’ and offering ‘ genuine goodwill for the path ahead’, Deputy McGrath stated that the Government were ‘detached’ from reality and that ‘ the time for change is now’.
Leo Varadkar served as Taoiseach since December 2022 and previously served as the head of state from 2017 to 2020. A Dublin native, he was first elected to Dáil Éireann in 2007 and was the first Irish minister to come out as gay, as well as the youngest person to hold the office of Taoiseach, at the age of 38.