Leo Varadkar to step down as Ireland’s prime minister

Discover Editor's Digest without any cost

Every week, Roula Khalaf, the Editor at FT, shares her most adored stories through this newsletter.

Leo Varadkar has made a surprising announcement that he will resign as the prime minister of Ireland, explaining that he feels he is not the most suitable individual to head his party into the upcoming general election scheduled to take place within the next twelve months.

Varadkar, who has held the position of taoiseach since December 2022 and previously served in the role from 2017 to 2020, stated that his resignation was based on both personal and political factors. However, he did not disclose any specifics during his brief and occasionally poignant declaration on Wednesday.

Varadkar spoke to journalists, with stern and serious senior party members at his side, stating that part of being a leader is recognizing when it is time to step down, and finding the bravery to do so. He acknowledged that time had come for him, having spent seven years as the leader of the party. Varadkar admitted that he no longer feels he is the ideal candidate to continue in that role.

Varadkar, who is 45 years old, spoke with strong feelings and sometimes his voice quivered. He declared that he will continue to be in office until the time his Fine Gael party's conference is held on April 6. This will then give the Dáil the opportunity to choose a new taoiseach after the Easter break. It is anticipated that his replacement will be elected on April 9.

Leaving a high-ranking position is always difficult and there's no perfect moment for it. Nonetheless, the present time seems appropriate. "Although my decision to step down stems from a mix of personal and political reasons, the latter is the main factor," he declared, without providing any additional information.

He made his choice a few days following his arrival from the festivities of St. Patrick's Day with the President of the United States, Joe Biden, and just under a fortnight after a defeat for the Government in two constitutional referendum situations.

Some important ministers who have the potential to lead the party are Simon Harris, who currently serves as the higher education minister, Simon Coveney, who is responsible for the business sector, and Paschal Donohoe, who handles public expenditure. The Fine Gael executive council had a meeting scheduled on Wednesday evening to plan the leadership election.

Members of the government coalition, which consists of Fine Gael on the centre-right, Fianna Fáil in the centrist position, and the Green Party, don't anticipate that the shock resignation will result in a general election. On the other hand, Sinn Féin, the primary opposition party, has called for an urgent general election.

Varadkar's coalition party leaders were shocked by the news that was announced on Tuesday night. The politicians within Fine Gael were caught off guard as well. This unexpected development occurred months before the local and European elections in June, as well as the general election in Ireland, which has to occur by March 2025. Many are anticipating that the general election will be called during the fall season.

Varadkar expressed confidence that the current government could secure another term in office and that his party could also make gains in the elections. He strongly believed that for the betterment of the nation, it was imperative that the three-party government be re-elected.

"After a lot of thinking and reflecting on my own beliefs, I have come to the conclusion that it would be more appropriate for someone else, a new taoiseach and leader, to continue the work towards achieving our goals."

Micheál Martin, who heads the political party Fianna Fáil and serves as the foreign minister, expressed his astonishment at Varadkar's choice. However, according to Martin, this development does not mean that there will be an immediate election.

Nonetheless, Holly Cairns, who is the head of the Social Democrats - a small opposing party, believes that it is impossible for the government to complete its term "if the taoiseach himself acknowledges that the coalition's days are numbered."

Fine Gael under Varadkar's leadership has seen its popularity remain stagnant in recent polls, and a number of party members have opted not to seek reelection in the upcoming general election.

Varadkar, a physician by profession, once held the title of Ireland's youngest taoiseach as well as being the nation's first openly homosexual individual to serve in that position. He revealed he had held a public role for 20 years, having been a cabinet member for 13 years and the leader of a party for seven. Despite no other prospects, he confirmed that he will continue to serve in the Dáil. It is anticipated that he will join fellow European Union leaders in Brussels for a summit on Thursday.

Being the prime minister, he successfully guided Ireland through the complexities of Brexit. He played a significant role in securing an agreement that prevented a hard border on the island. Moreover, he was leading the country when a referendum was held in 2018, which led to the legalization of abortion in Ireland.

The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Rishi Sunak, expressed his good wishes for Varadkar on the social media network X. He appreciated Varadkar's hard work and dedicated service and showed enthusiasm for working with Varadkar's successor.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, the rise in living expenses, and the increase in immigration that worsened the housing crisis, Varadkar served as Prime Minister. He emphasized the faster pace of building homes under his leadership in his speech. However, the housing crisis remains a major concern for voters. With their commitment to resolving the housing issue, Sinn Féin has gained political momentum and surged ahead in opinion polls.

"This is a particularly noteworthy moment to resign," stated Gary Murphy, a politics professor at Dublin City University in an interview with RTÉ radio.

This blog post has been updated to rectify the conclusion of Varadkar's inaugural tenure as the taoiseach.