Leo Varadkar to stand down as Irish PM
Dublin's political framework is rocked by the unexpected action, causing an uproar.
Leo Varadkar's decision to step down from his position is just one of many early retirement announcements in the Fine Gael party. This trend of members leaving earlier than expected is becoming more common.
On March 20, 2024 at 1:16 pm Central European Time
Dublin - The Irish Prime Minister, Leo Varadkar, has announced his resignation from his post as the country's leader next month. This news has left many in the political system surprised and has led to speculations of an imminent election.
After the Cabinet meeting that took place on Wednesday, he stunned everyone with an unexpected declaration.
During a public gathering outside the doorway of the leader of the government's office, Varadkar declared that he will step down as the leader of the dominant Fine Gael party without delay. However, he will continue as the Taoiseach until his political group organizes its yearly meeting in the middle of April. At that point, a new leader will have been decided upon as his replacement.
Being a leader also means recognizing when it's time to hand over responsibilities to another person and having the bravery to follow through with it. Presently, that moment has arrived.
Varadkar's unexpected departure as the leader of Ireland's three-party government has raised concerns about the coalition's future. Despite smoothly governing since mid-2020, this sudden change has thrown everything into question. Varadkar previously shared the top position with Fianna Fáil leader and Foreign Minister, Micheál Martin.
The upcoming general election should take place no later than February 2025, but it might happen earlier, given that Sinn Féin, the main opposition, is consistently ahead in the polls.
Martin shared that Varadkar informed him and Eamon Ryan, who is also a coalition co-leader representing the Green Party, on Tuesday evening of his intention to resign.
Martin expressed his surprise upon hearing about the plan of action of his colleague. He shared that they had a good connection and that their personal bond had a significant impact on the ongoing operations and consistency of the government.
Retirements Surging Fast!
The main political parties have leaders who are at different stages in their careers. Martin has been the leader of Fianna Fáil since 2011 and is more likely to step down or get removed from his position. He has been a member of the Dáil for a very long time, and at 63, is one of the senior members in the group. Varadkar, on the other hand, is just 45 years old and has already been the Taoiseach twice: once from 2017 to 2020 and again from December 2022.
Varadkar's decision to step down comes after a series of surprising announcements of early retirements within his Fine Gael party. The party has been in power in Ireland for the past three governments since 2011. Currently, 10 out of Fine Gael's 33 elected representatives have announced they will not seek re-election.
Varadkar resigned from his position as a result of the government's embarrassment in the recent two-part referendum, which aimed to eliminate sexist language from the country's 87-year-old constitution. Both proposals were overwhelmingly rejected by voters, who criticized the government's substitute texts as being nonspecific and difficult to understand.
Varadkar expressed his desire for the tripartite administration to increase its seats and not decrease them in the upcoming election, with the aim of maintaining its current position of authority.
After much contemplation and internal reflection, I think that a different Taoiseach and leader would have a greater advantage in accomplishing our goals. We need someone who can invigorate and fortify the team, concentrate our message and policies, and instill momentum. As I have been in office for seven years, I no longer feel that I am the most qualified person for this position.
