Ireland's Prime Minister Leo Varadkar steps down

Leo Varadkar, who was the prime minister of Ireland, has revealed his decision to resign from his post.

This afternoon, outside Dublin's Government Buildings, Mr. Varadkar gave a heartfelt statement stating that he is departing for personal and political reasons.

According to him, he thinks that a different leader would be more capable than himself in securing more seats for their political party, Fine Gael, in the upcoming national election.

Mr. Varadkar stated that after serving for seven years, he no longer believes he is the most suitable individual for the position.

I have friends who are very supportive and trustworthy, and they are running for local and European elections. I would like to offer them the greatest opportunity to succeed.

He expressed: "From my own perspective, being Taoiseach has been a pleasurable experience. Nonetheless, politicians are just like any other individual and there are certain constraints we face. We give it our all until we reach our capacity and then we must find a new path."

At 45 years old, Mr Varadkar has been in charge of the Fine Gael party since 2017 and held the position of Taoiseach (Ireland's prime minister) on two occasions.

From 2017 to 2020, he served as the head of the nation. After that, he became the Tanaiste, or in other words, the deputy prime minister, starting from 2020 till he stepped down in December 2022.

He has held the position of Irish prime minister since then, due to a "rotating Taoiseach" arrangement that formed the basis of his party's collaboration with Fianna Fail as well as the Green Party.

Throughout his career in politics, he was a major figure in efforts to pass referendums that would permit same-sex marriage in 2015, and remove a prohibition on abortion in 2018.

He was a well-known presence in British politics during the discussions about Brexit.

In 2015, during the referendum, Mr. Varadkar made a historic announcement by revealing his homosexuality to the public, subsequently becoming the first openly gay Taoiseach.

At the age of 38, he became Taoiseach and also held the distinction of being the youngest person to have this position.

Following a competition for the leadership position, a fresh Taoiseach is ready to take over once the Dail, which is the parliament of Ireland, resumes after the Easter break. He will continue to serve as a representative for the Dublin West electoral district.

Observation: It was apparent that Varadkar had intentions of resigning.

When he leaves, it doesn't mean there will be an immediate election. The country must hold an election by March 2025.

Ireland's political groups have upcoming local government and European Parliament elections scheduled for June.

Mr Varadkar was also facing stress due to the fact that 10 TDs from Fine Gael - who are members of parliament - declared during the past year that they plan to retire from politics after the upcoming general election.

Deputy Prime Minister Micheal Martin expressed his admiration for Mr. Varadkar, remarking that he was taken aback by his decision to resign, which he was apprised of on Tuesday night.

We had a great connection and bonded personally, which in my opinion, played a significant role in ensuring consistency and steadiness in the governing system.

He stated that he wishes the person all the best in both their personal life and their career in the future.

Mr Martin rejected the suggestion of holding a nationwide election, stating that his party intends to carry out their promised actions.

We'll collaborate with the recently appointed Fine Gael leader to maintain the coalition.

Since the start, I have consistently maintained my belief that the government should serve its full term. This viewpoint remains unchanged even at present.

Get more insights from Sky News: Tension between the US and Ireland caused by an unresolved issue. Varadkar and Biden are in agreement that a ceasefire in Gaza is necessary.

Mr Varadkar recently came back from the United States where he participated in various significant events with President Joe Biden as a part of the customary St Patrick's Day festivities.

He made the announcement at a time when the Irish government was unsuccessful in two simultaneous referendums earlier in the same month.

Around 74% of the individuals who voted were against a proposed amendment that aimed to eliminate allusions to a woman's "life within the home" and the "duties in the home" of mothers. Instead, the amendment recommended an article that would recognize the significance of household members in a broader sense, without categorizing them based on gender.

Around two-thirds (67.7%) of voters opposed a proposed amendment that aimed to broaden the definition of "family" in the constitution to include households formed by long-lasting relationships other than marriage.