The Irish Prime Minister, Leo Varadkar, confirmed this Wednesday that he will present his resignation as head of the coalition government because he feels that he is no longer “the best person for the position” or to achieve the re-election of the tripartite alliance in the next elections. The decision comes two weeks after the unexpected defeat of the Executive in two referendums aimed at modernizing the concept of family and the role of women in society. Varadkar stressed that he will remain in office until his successor is elected.
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“I know this has been a surprise to many and a disappointment to me, but I hope you understand my decision. “It is never the right time to leave a high position, so this is as good as any other,” said Leo Varadkar when announcing this Wednesday, March 20, that he will resign as Prime Minister of Ireland and leader of the ruling Fine Gael party, and explained that It is due to both personal and political reasons.
“I believe that the re-election of this tripartite government will be the right thing for the future of our country,” said Varadkar, 45, of Indian origin and openly gay, noting that a new “taoiseach” (prime minister) will be better positioned to achieve the objective.
The still prime minister defended the work of the coalition government of the conservatives of Fine Gael, centrists of Fianna Fáil and the Green Party, an Executive of which he has been part since 2020, the first two years as deputy prime minister and the last two as ' taoiseach'.
According to analysts, the three coalition parties do not foresee that Varadkar's resignation will cause the calling of early general elections, scheduled in principle for 2025.
His decision has caused surprise, although it comes two weeks after the unexpected defeat of the Executive's proposal in two referendums aimed at modernizing the concept of family and the role of women in society.
The Fine Gael leader was elected MP in 2007 and served as taoiseach (prime minister) between 2017 and 2020.
Recently, he declared that he would leave politics when he turned 50.
“I have nothing else in mind, I have nothing else in mind. I have no defined personal or political plans,” he concluded.
Varadkar assured that medium-term stability is assured with the approval, for example, of the budgets for 2024, while he said that the next 'taoiseach' and leader of Fine Gael will have enough time to prepare for the local and European elections in June. and the general elections of 2025.
Contenders to succeed Varadkar as Fine Gael leader include Higher Education Minister Simon Harris, who was Health Minister during the pandemic, Enterprise Minister Simon Coveney, Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe and Minister of Justice, Helen McEntee.
With EFE, Reuters and AP
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