Leo Varadkar announced his resignation as Ireland’s prime minister and leader of the Fine Gael party within the governing coalition, citing personal and political reasons. This surprising decision, coming just 10 weeks before crucial European Parliament and local elections, has been described as a “political earthquake” by analysts, with a looming general election within a year. Despite the unexpected nature of Varadkar’s announcement, Deputy Prime Minister Micheal Martin expressed confidence in the government’s ability to complete its full term.
In an emotional statement on the steps of Government Buildings in Dublin, surrounded by his Fine Gael cabinet colleagues, Varadkar, one of Europe’s youngest leaders at 45, acknowledged that he no longer felt he was the most suitable person to lead the country. He emphasized the human aspect of politicians, recognizing their limitations and the inevitability of moving on when one can no longer give their all. Despite expressing belief in the government’s potential for reelection, Varadkar stated that he believed a new prime minister would be better equipped to renew and strengthen the leadership, refocus messaging and policies, and drive implementation.
Varadkar did not elaborate further on the specifics of his personal and political reasons for stepping down, but recent setbacks, including a significant referendum loss on constitutional reform, have contributed to speculation. His center-right Fine Gael party is set to undergo a leadership contest, with Varadkar committed to staying on as premier until a new leader is elected after parliament reconvenes from recess the following month.
This marks Varadkar’s second resignation from the prime ministerial position, having previously stepped down as part of a deal with opposition parties following the 2020 general election, only to return to office in 2022 under the same agreement. Throughout his tenure, Varadkar made history as Ireland’s youngest prime minister, its first openly gay leader, and the first from an ethnic minority background.
