Ireland: Simon Harris, a member of the Irish political party Fine Gael, has been elected as the next Prime Minister of Ireland. This comes after a leadership race in which no other candidates came forward.
At 37 years old, Harris will be the youngest person to hold the position. The vacancy arose due to the surprise resignation of the previous Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, who cited personal and political reasons for his decision to step down.
The only candidate for the position of Taoiseach, Harris, who is also the higher education minister, will not take up the position until the Irish parliament, the Dáil, resumes after its Easter break. Harris will reveal his priorities as the new leader during a selection convention in Athlone, County Westmeath. The convention is meant to select party candidates for the European Parliament elections scheduled for June.
Harris is expected to convey his desire for the centre-right Fine Gael party, which rules alongside fellow conservatives Fianna Fáil and the Green party, to return to its core values. These core values include making work pay, being tough on law and order, and supporting farmers. It is anticipated that Heather Humphreys, the social protection minister from a rural border constituency, will be designated as the party’s deputy leader.
Minister Simon Harris did not mention any potential changes in Fine Gael’s ministerial ranks. However, there is speculation that ministers who do not plan on running for re-election will be removed. It is widely believed that Simon Coveney will be one of the casualties in the reshuffle. Leo Varadkar resigned from office after taking responsibility for the government’s failure to update references to women and the family in the recent referendums to the constitution.
The Irish Fine Gael politician is known for his excellent communication skills, especially on social media. He has previously served in several ministerial roles, including the health ministry during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Before Varadkar’s resignation, it was widely assumed that the next general election in Ireland would be held in October, following a budget announcement in September. However, leaders of the Fianna Fáil and Greens parties have stated their belief that the current government should complete the remaining 12 months of its term.
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