Ireland is on the brink of welcoming its youngest-ever premier as Simon Harris has emerged as the new leader of the Fine Gael party. The 37-year-old, currently serving as the government's further and higher education minister, secured the leadership position after the surprise resignation of Leo Varadkar last week.
Harris, the sole candidate to step forward to succeed Varadkar, garnered significant support from within the Fine Gael parliamentary party. He is expected to be formally elected as premier in the Irish parliament in April following the Easter break.
Speaking on Harris's leadership victory, Fine Gael deputy leader Simon Coveney praised his comprehensive approach in securing the position. Harris has affirmed his commitment to the existing program for government, which was agreed upon with coalition partners Fianna Fail and the Green Party.
Varadkar, who held the position of taoiseach twice, from 2017 to 2020 and again since December 2022 in a job-share arrangement with Micheál Martin of Fianna Fáil, was previously Ireland's youngest prime minister. Varadkar, the first openly gay prime minister of Ireland and of biracial heritage, played pivotal roles in campaigns for same-sex marriage legalization and the repeal of the abortion ban.
During Varadkar's tenure, Ireland navigated the aftermath of Britain's decision to exit the European Union in 2016. The implications of Brexit were particularly significant for Ireland, an EU member sharing a border with the U.K.'s Northern Ireland. Relations between the U.K. and Ireland faced challenges during Boris Johnson's leadership but have since stabilized with the arrival of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
