Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar has unexpectedly resigned as leader of the ruling Finna Gael party, citing personal and political reasons, Reuters reported.
“I am resigning as chairman and leader of Fine Gael today and will resign as prime minister as soon as my successor has the opportunity to take over,” Varadkar told reporters gathered outside Government House in Dublin.
Varadkar’s departure as leader of the three-party coalition does not automatically lead to an election, Reuters notes.
He said he had asked for the party’s new leader to be elected on April 6, which would allow the next prime minister to be chosen after Parliament’s Easter recess.
Speaking emotionally as he made his statement, Varadkar said it was the right time for him to step down and there was no “real reason” behind his decision.
“I have nothing else waiting, I have nothing in mind. I have no definite personal or political plans,” he said.
In 2017, Varadkar became the once-conservative Catholic country’s first gay prime minister and the youngest person to hold the post in the country’s history, according to Reuters.
He returned to the premiership in 2022 after a rotation deal between Fina Gael and Fina Foyle, the two larger parties in the triple coalition with the smaller Green Party.
The next election must be called by early next year.
Contenders to succeed Varadkar as leader of Fine Gael are Higher Education Minister Simon Harris, who was Health Secretary during the COVID-19 pandemic, Enterprise Minister Simon Coveney, former Deputy Prime Minister for Public Expenditure Pascal Donohue and the Justice Secretary Helen McEntee.
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